I Am Not Sure What Love Is, but I Guess I Love You
by Tais T
Summary: Johnny/OC. Takes place AFTER 'Rise of The Silver Surfer'. I chose these genres but there is a lot of sci-fi as well.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! I have recently watched Fantastic Four **_**again**_** and decided to write this one. Actually the synopsis might seem not new to you (another love story with Johnny and blabla, but he's soooo cute!! I just couldn't help myself=))), but maybe by the end of this chapter you will be interested. Or at least I hope so=))**

**So PLEASE write at least couple of words as a review and I will continue if at least one person will like it=) I'm writing another story now which I want to finish too and this one is actually my first sci-fi story. But don't be good=) tell me if it sucks=) **

"I just want some rest! Is that so bad?" Johnny said loudly and flopped onto a coach where Ben was already sitting. "Hey Big One! Wassup?" Johnny asked him cheerfully.

"Everything's been perfectly well until you got here."

"Oh I missed you too! Wanna be my date for tonight?" Johnny went on fooling around. "I bet with you we can get a free table in any restaurant and a dance floor will be just for two of us! What you say?"

"Shut it Matchstick!" Ben answered dully.

"It's been almost four years and you still didn't come up with a new name for me?! Does that mean you don't love me anymore?!" Johnny made a whiny face. "Maybe you've been cheating on me? Answer me! Did you find yourself another superhero? Oh how could you? No, you're not The Thing! Guile should be your name!" his voice was getting louder and whinier and he started to sob.

Ben sighed took a pillow and smashed it into Johnny's face.

"Hey work on your sense of humor!" younger guy murmured and the pillow immediately started to smolder.

"You shut up already," Ben sighed again and threw the pillow away.

"Okay, okay! White flag!" Johnny raised his hands defensively. "Wassup?"

"Just don't feel like going to that meeting with guys from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency today. Have bad feeling about that. These guys are up to no good for sure."

"Ben we found each other!" Johnny shouted out happily. "Let's protest against this together! I hate that NGA guys already!"

"Oh come on! We haven't even met them!" Sue came into the room.

"I hate them 'cause they will make us go somewhere and do something and save the world and bla-bla-bla! Can't we just have nothing to do for a while?" Johnny pleaded.

"Johnny it's our job! You said you loved it!" Susan reminded him.

"Everyone needs holidays!"

"Johnny…"

"No, I don't sign up for that! Ben, are you with me?" Johnny stood up from a coach and looked down at Ben.

Ben sighed again.

"No, I guess I'll come to that meeting."

"Oh, sure! See you, Pet Rock!" Johnny took his leather jacket and went out of the room towards the elevator.

"Johnny!" he heard Susan's voice but didn't turn around.

"Have fun with those NGA guys!" Johnny waved his hand still not looking back.

He went through the underground parking lot of the Baxter Building towards his Harley and pulled out his cell phone.

"Linda! Missed me my sweetie? Yeah, that's me, Johnny! Wanna have fun today? Good, good! Call me when you're ready but don't take too long! Yeah, there are a lot of women on my list! Lucky for you you're up first! Got it, be there in one hour!"

"I love this life!" he murmured to himself as he started the engine.

***

"Oh fuck!" Johnny sighed couple of hours later when his buzzing cell phone distracted him from kissing a pretty blonde that was lying on the bed next to him. He found his phone in the pike of clothes on the floor and pressed the 'talk' button.

"Johnny where the hell are you?!"

"Calm down, Reed! I'm having the time of my life," Johnny kissed the woman again still with his phone near his ear.

"You are supposed to be with us! Sue said you would be here!"

"I thought I told her that I wouldn't!"

"Maybe she was hoping that there _are_ some brains in your head but she was apparently mistaken! You know you should pay more attention to what you…"

"Oh, Reed, stop going all fortune cookie on me!" Johnny frowned and leaned back from the woman.

"We were specifically told to be here with our full complement! And I demand you to be here immediately!" Reed's voice was cold.

"Should I fly?" Johnny asked sarcastically.

"No. But you better hurry up otherwise I…"

"Okay, got it, got it! I'll be there!" he sighed and sat on the bed.

"Do you remember the address?"

"Sure."

"Oh good, you're not completely hopeless! Hurry up!" and Reed hung up.

"Are you leaving?" the woman looked at him pleadingly. "Please don't!"

"Sorry sweetie! The country needs me you know!" Johnny was dressing up. "Saving the world again!"

"Can I stand near you on that posters when you do it? I mean, when you will be a superhero again?"

"What do you mean 'again'? Was I bad today?" he asked sarcastically but with a bit of concern.

"No, of course not! You were amazing, Mr. Fantastic!"

"My name is Human Torch!" the guy exclaimed.

"Oh…" the blonde looked confused. "But Mr. Fantastic sounds cooler!"

"Yeah, but I'm hotter!" Johnny answered angrily. "Bye!"

"Johnny! Wait! Call me!"

"Yeah, sure," he murmured.

Twenty minutes later he stopped near small white building with huge letters 'The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. New York City' on it. There were couple of cars parked right near it and the building itself didn't look very presentable.

"Oh gee, is that me or are this letters bigger than the building?" Johnny took of his helmet and rolled his eyes.

He heard a sound of another motorcycle and turned his head left. A shiny brand new dark blue Harley was moving fast towards him. As it approached the place near Johnny which was the only spare one the motorcycle stopped abruptly.

"Wow!" Johnny gasped. "Electra Glide Ultra! That is my dream!"

The owner of a dream machine turned his head to him. Then Johnny heard a quiet chuckle and the rider took of a helmet.

"Wow!" Johnny gasped again now loudly, his eyes widened and his body froze.

The rider was a girl about twenty years old with shiny reddish hair until her waist. She got off the Harley and put her helmet on a seat not looking at the guy anymore and headed towards the building.

"Hey! Hey wait!" Johnny ran after her still holding his helmet. "I am here for the first time, could you help me?"

"Yes?" the girl stopped and smiled to him. Her smile was cold and polite.

She was wearing dark blue leans and a black leather jacket with that definitely did justice her slender figure with all curves needed and though she wasn't wearing high heels she was just a bit lower that Johnny.

"I am Johnny Storm but people know me as the Human Torch," he smiled at her with his famous boyish smile that had broken a lot of girls' hearts.

The girl remained silent. Instead of saying something she scanned Johnny down and up again and looked into his eyes. He looked back in her big hazel green eyes for couple of seconds but then it became hard and he blinked.

A small smirk touched her lips. "Wow, I'm impressed," she said sarcastically. "And?"

"And what is your name?"

"How does my name relate to your problem?"

"My problem?" he blinked again.

"You are here for the first time and you need help and?" she was waiting for him to continue.

"Oh, sure," this talk definitely didn't go the way such talks normally did. _But this Victoria's Secret Angel should be in my bed! Damn, I love Victoria's Secret!_ "And maybe you could show me where to go and everything…"

"Well there is only one front door and we are standing right next to it," she smiled politely again, "and I suppose you can come into the building through it. Anything else?"

Johnny felt like a dunce.

"Oh, no, thanks… um… maybe we could…"

"Excuse me but I am late for something," she interrupted him. "Good bye!"

"But…" he wanted to say something but the girl turned away.

She entered the hall. Johnny followed her and noticed a man in a black suit that bowed respectfully to the girl. She nodded to him and turned left to a small corridor. Johnny wanted to follow her but that man stopped him.

"Jonathan Storm?" he asked.

Johnny frowned, he didn't like his full name. But still he nodded hid head.

"I am here to escort you to the conference room, please follow me."

There were only two stories in the building so there weren't any elevators. Johnny and the man went upstairs and soon entered an unexpectedly large room which took obviously all story.

"There he is! Please accept our apologies, Major Woods,…" Reed started but a tall man in a military uniform stopped him.

"Don't worry, Mr. Richards! Our device has also just arrived!"

"You mean, has been shifted?"

"Yes, exactly!" Major smirked. "Well, as we are all here I will start…"

He turned around and a 3D picture appeared right beside him. There was some molecular structure on it. Reed and Sue examined it for a second and then both gasped. Ben looked puzzled and Johnny yawned.

"As you can see this DNA is very unusual even in comparison to yours'" Major smiled. "This substance explodes in contact with air and it's power is incompatible to any of now existing explosive materials."

"But it's structure…" Reed started. "It apparently can impact on other materials…"

"Exactly!" Major said in excitement. "That's the main point. This substance can alter any other material that touches it and therefore change it into _this_ substance. Which basically gives us endless amount of this super powerful material!"

"And why do you need us? Just to boast of having a big bomb?" Johnny asked loudly.

"Johnny!" Sue hissed.

"No, Mr. Storm! The fact is that we don't have that substance yet!" Major answered politely as if he didn't notice the irritation in Johnny's voice.

"So you want us to get you that big bomb?" Johnny went on.

"Exactly!" Major beamed as if he has just heard something really nice.

"But how do you know the capacity of that substance if you don't have one?" Sue frowned.

"Well, Mrs. Richards Let's say we have had opportunities to find that out. Our satellites have tracked this substance according to its estimated capacity and its only sample is in the Pacific Ocean in Mariana Trench."

"What? You want us to go there?" Reed's eyes widened.

"Actually yes we do."

"But why us? I mean, you have money and trained staff…" Ben spoke for the first time during the meeting.

"Well, there is a catch… This substance actually is dangerous because air is everywhere in the submarine and there might be difficulties in transporting it… with normal people. But your team is known to help the country many times and in case something goes wrong…"

"You are setting us up?" Johnny asked in disbelief.

"No, no, how could you think so? This substance explodes only in contact with all elements of the air and your… er… powers exclude some elements from the atmosphere around you…"

"Oh, I got it!" Reed smiled. "Susan's force field, Johnny's fire, Ben's hard skin and my rubber! These are all perfect storages for this substance! It's absolutely harmless for us! Well according to your estimates."

"I'm glad we understood each other, Mr. Richards!" Woods smiled too. "We will provide you all equipment needed but just in case…"

"Wow! You mean we are going underwater?!" Johnny gasped. "I'm in!"

"And what did you say about that very special device that will help us accomplish this mission?" asked Sue.

"Oh that truly is a very special one! We named it Aquamarine. It can freeze water and other liquids, heat, evaporate and condense it. It can also control water, I mean, make it move in different directions, and it can travel through water in enormous speed," Major looked really pleased as he was saying all this.

"I would definitely like to see that one!" Reed looked interested.

"Trust me, this thing is irreplaceable when you go underwater! Duke, bring it in!" Woods commanded the guy who was standing near one of the doors.

He opened it and another person came in.

"What? Wait. Where's the device?" Johnny raised his eyebrows. "Oh, I got it, it's like a TV-shop! Now you will bring us something, right?"

The girl he met half an hour ago was the person that joined them now. Only now she was wearing a suit which consisted of a tight-fitting short-sleeved jacket and extremely short shorts all black and shiny.

She looked at Johnny as if he was an annoying fly.

"No, Mr. Storm, you are mistaken this time!" Woods smiled at him again. "This is Aquamarine!"

"What? That kid?" Ben raised his rocky eyebrows.

"Yes."

"And she can do what you told us?" Reed was in shock. "She has these powers?"

"Yes, all of them!" Major nodded.

"But how… I mean, is she like us?" Reed was the only one who was able to speak. The others were just staring at the girl who seemed stone calm.

"I think we should go to our laboratory to show you Aquamarine's capacities. Please follow me!"

Woods went out of the room followed by the girl. The others were walking next, Sue and Reed were discussing Major's offer and the 'device', Ben was fully into his thoughts and Johnny was moving his head up and down to have a better view of the girl's back.

_Her assets are damn good!_

It turned out that this building had elevators. They went to one of them and it opened immediately. There was a lot of room in there and they all fit in even Ben. It started to move down.

"Does this building fit laboratories?" Reed asked disbelievingly.

"Just one, but that's enough for us! Here we are!"

The elevator doors opened and they saw a lab. It was really huge and white and it had an enormously long dark swimming pool in the middle. Johnny noticed that the girl smiled at the sight of it but he himself didn't feel too good.

"Too much water. Don't like it," he murmured to himself. He didn't feel good around big amounts of water lately. Fire and water do not come together.

"Aquamarine, let's begin!" Woods looked at the girl.

She smiled lightly again and went closer to the pool. Members of the Fantastic Four watched her every move. She raised her hand and some water from the pool flowed up. When the girl's hand stopped water formed a ball which hung about a feet above water surface. Johnny saw Reed's eyes widening.

Then she strained her hand and the water ball froze immediately. And when she started to slowly squeeze her fingers water started to evaporate without even melting.

"Cool!" Reed said simply which was so unlike him. But everyone else shared his emotions.

"And what about condensing?" he asked.

The girl turned to him and raised her hand again. She twisted her half-squeezed fist and water began to appear from nowhere. When this water ball became the size of a tennis ball she squeezed her fist and water evaporated.

"Wow," Ben commented.

"'Wow' would be an understatement!" Reed exclaimed. "But how did you manage to…"

"Let's not talk about the details now, Mr. Richards, " Woods interrupted him. "I will give you all documentation when we finish. And now about traveling in water… Aquamarine, get in the pool!"

Johnny frowned at the tone Major commanded the girl. But she apparently was okay with that because she took off her shoes and dived into a pool without saying a word. She hasn't said a word whole time.

The girl dived deep and she didn't show up for like half a minute. Then her head was out of water until her mouth. Her neck was still in water.

"You know you have to get used to be in this suit in water, but for now, you can take it off," commanded Major.

_She will get naked? Maybe I should jump__ in there too? _Johnny smirked to himself.

The girl went down to water again and in another half a minute came to the surface again. But her neck was still in water.

"Aquamarine can stay underwater for however long you need," Woods spoke to Reed.

"How is that possible?"

"Aquamarine…" Woods looked at the girl.

She nodded and came higher out of the water. Johnny's eyes widened. There were gills on her neck.

Sue covered her mouth with her hand.

The girl went under water again and turned up in a second her neck in water.

"And now prepare yourselves for a surprise!" Major announced smiling again.

"Isn't that enough?" Sue asked quietly.

"Aquamarine, come here!" Woods commanded again. The girl's head went down again.

Johnny opened his mouth to say that it's not okay to treat a person like a pet but as he saw Aquamarine out of water at the side of the pool words were stuck in his mouth and his jaw dropped open.

The pool was unusually dark and they didn't get to see the girl's body under water. But now she put her hands on the side of pool near them and showed the bottom part of her body.

She had a fishtail.

A long big shiny fishtail covered in emerald green scales with small dorsal fin continuing her spin and bigger flipper in the end.

"A mermaid?" Johnny gasped.

"Yes, Mr. Storm!" Major beamed. "After one of the experiments we got this! Who knows, maybe mermaids did exist some time ago?"

All four of them were speechless.

"Aquamarine can gather speed of about hundred kilometers per hour in water," Woods went on. "This pool is one hundred fifty meter long and she can reach the other side in less than one and a half second."

The girl heard him and dived in water again. They saw her head at their side of the pool, then there was a small wave and a second later she was at the opposite side.

"Or maybe faster," Woods seemed pleased. "Aquamarine can also break some hard materials with her tail. She may not be as strong as Mr. Grimm but still… Anyway, Aquamarine will be a perfect device to get that substance out of the water and transfer it to a submarine."

"But the Mariana Trench is eleven kilometer deep! The temperature there is lower than a human can handle!" Reed exclaimed.

Major smiled again. Johnny was about to start hating this smile.

"Mr. Richards, may I ask you to touch the water?"

Reed did as he was told and swiftly took his hand out.

"It's freezing!"

"Aquamarine can handle any temperature of water, as I said it is a perfect marine device. So, if we are finished with demonstration… Aquamarine, dismissed!"

The girl plunged back into the water.

"We can come back to the conference room to negotiate!" Woods headed to the elevator. The others followed him but Johnny looked back at the pool again. The girl was nowhere to be seen.

Back in the conference room they sat down and Woods looked at Reed.

"So, do you agree to take part in this mission?"

Reed looked at his team members. Johnny nodded immediately, Ben was no so swift but he nodded too. Sue sighed but joined them.

"Yes, Major Woods, we're in!"

"Excellent!" Woods put his hands together. "You will have three weeks to prepare for the mission!"

"Um, Major…" Reed started. "I thought that as long as… um… Aquamarine goes with us maybe she could stay at Baxter Building for these three weeks? So we could get used to each other and…"

Johnny nodded immediately.

"Well, if you want to, than sure!"

"And what is her name?" he asked quickly.

"Aquamarine," Woods turned his head to Johnny.

"No, I meant her human name!"

Major took a deep breath.

"This point of the situation I would like to explain to you. When I call Aquamarine a device I mean it. It is not a human being. It has no human name and you should call it Aquamarine. And I specifically allow you to treat Aquamarine as a device. You may do whatever experiments you need and make it do whatever you need."

All four of them were in shock. Sue spoke first.

"But… she was born human, right?"

"Yes, but it has been altered. It has no senses…"

"What?" Sue gasped.

"Yes, Mrs. Richards! Aquamarine can handle any temperature conditions and cannot feel pain. It can break rocks and if it is hurt, it will still continue the mission."

"You mean she can heal?"

"No, unfortunately it can't. It just doesn't feel pain."

"Stop calling her 'it'!" Johnny shouted.

"Mr. Storm, USA has invested millions into this device and…"

"Then why do you give us such an expensive… um… device… to experiment on?" Reed asked calmly but his face was red with anger. "What if we…say… break it?"

"Here is the answer to your question," Woods took a folder from the table and handed it to Reed.

"Aquamarine will arrive to Baxter Building tomorrow. All contracts will be ready by next week. And also tomorrow we will start preparing you for the mission," he looked at the team.

"Any questions?"

They all shook their heads.

"Well, than we are done! Thank you for your help! The country will appreciate it!" Major smiled again.

"Yeah, sure," Johnny murmured.

**So? Hate it? That's okay=) but if you like it **_**please**_** review. As I said, if at least one person would like to read it I will write=)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! I just got a single person subscribed for this story=) haha that's fun. But I'm okay with that as long as at least someone wants to read it. So I wrote it just today. **_**Emmett Cullens my Heart**_**, hope you'll enjoy it=) ant thanks to **_**Penny3**_** for the review, I tried to improve my flaw. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fantastic Four and I guess I don't even own Aquamarine… okay, I don't own anything I just loooove writing this story=) **

**A/N: **_These_** are Johnny's thoughts. **

The next morning started for Johnny with an amazingly delicious smell that was floating throughout the Baxter Building which he immediately recognized as the smell of Sue's brownies and cupcakes. That was true – when Johnny came to the kitchen his sister was decorating a plateful of cupcakes with chocolate icing.

"Sue you are one in a million!" he came to the table wanting to take a cookie. "I was dreaming about this for like forever."

"This is not for you," Sue swiftly took a plate with brownies and put it on a fridge.

"Hey, why? You got yourself another brother?" as he was saying this Johnny tried to reach for the cupcakes, but Sue gave him a look and he stopped.

"This is for that girl, she'll be here soon. I wanted to make her a warm welcome."

"Oh, and that's why you want to keep your only little brother starving?" Johnny made a puppy dog face but his heart started to beat a bit faster.

Sue smiled.

"Okay, you can take one. But only one!" she warned.

"Okay, one brownie and one cupcake! You are the best, sis," he took bakery and immediately ate it. "Tastes great as usual. You know what, I wanna sleep again so I'm going back to bed, see you in a while."

"Okay, but don't stay there for too long, Reed may need us."

"Sure thing, he can't spend a day without me," he yawned and went out.

His next waking up was less pleasant. He was woken up by Ben's loud voice from the corridor.

"… and this is Johnny's room. You wouldn't want to come in, he is a disaster. Never clean! I am really sorry your room is near…"

"'s okay Ben, don't worry. Thanks for showing me around," a girl's voice answered.

_Aquamarine!_

Johnny hopped off the bed and went to the corridor wearing only boxers. Ben and the girl were there talking and they both turned their heads towards him as he appeared.

"And this is Johnny, but you can call him Matchstick!" said Ben.

"Matchstick? I love that," she chuckled.

She was wearing baggy jeans and a simple white tank top and Johnny had to admit she was looking more human than yesterday in her leather like outfit.

"I guess that will be how I will call him," she went on.

"Well than you can call Ben Rocky, I'm sure he'll be okay with that," said Johnny. "But actually people know me…"

"… as Human Torch," the girl ended his sentence. "You might use a change of lines you know," the same smile as yesterday appeared on her face only now it was warmer. "And some clothes as well." She looked at Johnny's boxers.

Ben chuckled.

"Guys! Could you come down please? And wake Johnny up!" they heard Sue's voice from downstairs.

"Okay Sue, we're up!" Ben answered loudly. "So this is your room," he pointed to the door next to Johnny's. "Feel like home."

She opened the door and put her bag and helmet on the floor.

"Done! Let's go?" she turned to Ben.

"Yep!" he answered.

"Hey, wait for me!" Johnny rushed back into his room and put a jeans and a T-shirt on.

Sue and Reed were already in the living room. Sue was holding a plate with bakery.

"Hey, I thought you are hungry, this is for you," she smiled warmly to the girl.

But the girl didn't smile back. Instead she frowned a bit and looked at the members of the Fantastic Four who were smiling their most welcoming smiles.

"You made brownies for me?" she asked.

"And cupcakes too," Sue added now a bit nervously.

The girl stared at them for a minute and then suddenly chuckled.

"Is that because of Webby?" she asked with a smile.

"Who?" asked Sue.

"Mayor Woods. His name is Webster but we call him Webby," she looked at their puzzled faces and chuckled again. "Guys, he's the only one at the NGA who treats me like a 'device'," she quotated the word device. "Other guys there are nice, we are friends and they all treat me like a human, trust me!"

"You mean…"

"I mean you don't have to feel sorry for me. No, seriously, guys. Wipe that funeral expression off," she smiled and raised her eyebrow.

"But why were you acting like a robot yesterday?" asked Johnny.

"Because if I didn't Webby would be pissed off and you don't wanna see him pissed off. Actually I see him like once a month so there is just less problems and his blah-blah when I act like he wants."

The others were still numb.

"So?" the girl raised her eyebrows expecting questions.

"So then... um… " Reed started. "I'm Reed, this is Sue, my wife, Johnny, her brother, and you already know Ben."

"I know, I've taken a look at your profiles. And you can call me Amara."

"Amara?"

"That's short for 'Aquamarine'. All my friends call me so. Only Webby is stuck with Aquamarine," she rolled her eyes. "So guys, I'm just as human as you are."

Ben laughed out loudly and the tension was gone without a trace.

"Besides, I love brownies," Amara smiled and took a cookie from the plate.

Half an hour later life in Baxter Building was back to normal. Reed was in the lab and the others were in the living room asking Amara questions. Actually it was more Johnny asking.

"Have you been underwater?"

"Millions of times."

"How is it there?"

"Salty. But I like it better then chlorine."

"So we are really going underwater? Like in a submarine?" Johnny was excited.

"Yep, like in a real submarine."

"Cool!"

"Oh stop it Flamehead, shut up already!" Ben exclaimed.

"Nah, s'okay!" Amara waved her hand. "Got some pretty annoying people in the NGA too."

Ben and Sue giggled.

"Not funny!" Johnny crossed his hands.

"Whatever, Matchstick," Amara went on.

"I love that kid!" Bed exclaimed.

Johnny wanted to say something but Reed's voice from the lab stopped him.

"Amara, I need you for some tests in the lab in half an hour."

"Okay, I'll be there." She stood up. "I better go put on that zipper costume," she sighed.

"What costume?" Sue asked.

"The only one appropriate for my tail," Amara made a face. "It has a lot of zippers and I can unzip it to let my legs grow together into a tail."

"Alright, that sounds weird," Johnny made a face.

About twenty minutes later Johnny saw Amara downstairs again. She was wearing that leather like costume.

_Damn! Damn! Damn!_

"Need any help?" he asked.

Amara started to move towards the lab and Johnny followed.

"No, I guess I'll be able to find the lab myself. Besides, you might need some rest now after your previous night and for your next one," she smiled mischievously.

"What…? But why…? How…?" Johnny was confused.

"Your profile," Amara smiled again.

"Actually I stayed at home last night!"

"Well then you are surely planning something for tonight."

"Well if you joined me…" Johnny tried to use his famous smile on Amara again.

"You are not my type."

"You don't even know me!"

"Your profile," Amara repeated.

"What the hell do they write there?" Johnny exclaimed.

"Facts only," she stopped before the lab doors. "Well, here we go, I guess I'll go from here alone."

"Actually I'll join you. Reed is never against me and Ben watching and Sue helps him with the tests," now it was Johnny's turn to smile seeing Amara confused.

"Show on the road, huh," she mumbled.

"Welcome to the team," the guy's smile widened.

Amara gave him a look and entered the lab.

There was one new thing in there. A big hot tube sized bath made of transparent material filled with water.

"Unfortunately we couldn't fit a swimming pool here," Reed said apologetically. "But this bath is supposed to be enough for our tests."

"Okay, where do we start?" Amara was obviously used for all sorts of tests on her.

"Mayor Woods gave me your profile with all the explanations on how you control water and another liquids so that part is clear for me. What I want to know better is what happens to your body when you turn into… um…"

"Mermaid?" Amara finished. "You'll get used to it, it's weird only in the beginning."

"Well I hope so," Reed smiled lightly. "And about your body reflexes."

"I don't have them," Amara shook her head.

"Not a single one?"

"Well, they are all based on pain, right? I mean, touching hot kettle, cold water and stuff. And I can't feel it."

"Would you mind if I check it?" Reed asked.

Amara chuckled.

"What are you talking about, Reed? Mayor Woods told you to feel free to do whatever you want with the device."

"Not funny," Johnny raised his single eyebrow.

"Well for me it is," Amara turned to him.

"Okay, whatever. I'll start," Reed took a long needle and stepped to the girl. "Could you raise your right arm a bit and turn your palm to me?"

Amara did as she was told.

Johnny frowned a bit as he realized what was coming up.

But Reed was hesitating.

"That is… hard," he bit his lower lip. "I thought it would be easier."

"Oh jeez," Amara sighed. "Honestly, you are a weird scientist. We used to make such tests on my legs." She took a needle out of Reeds hand and swiftly stuck it in her right hip. Her expression didn't change an inch. "As I assume I have to push it deeper?" She asked Reed.

"Oh… um… well… yeah," he stuttered.

Johnny could understand Reed's emotions. Watching a girl piercing herself with a needle and acting like it is her average routine was weird and somehow painful. Sue closed her mouth with her hand.

Amara was slowly pushing the needle deeper and deeper apparently so Reed could fully see what he wanted – she has no reflexes. Her body parts didn't move a single tiny bit.

"I'm guessing I'm done," she said in a while. "I can feel my bone."

"Ew!" Johnny couldn't help it.

Amara gave him a look and pulled the needle out. It was covered in blood and a drop of it was on her hip too.

"There you go. My DNA sample," she smiled at Reed but he couldn't force a smile. The girl looked at others' faces. No one smiled and Sue still had her hand covering her mouth. "Oh come on guys! I didn't feel a thing. It wasn't painful!"

"Watching that was one experience I wouldn't wanna repeat," Ben said in a low voice and Johnny was fully agree.

"Well alright there…" Reed looked into his papers. "I was planning to try hot and cold substances on you but…"

"Well, I'm cool with cold," Amara interrupted him, "but could we try hot one on my legs please? I hate burn marks and on my legs they go off when I get my tail."

"Ew again!" Johnny exclaimed.

"No, there is no need to do that," Reed scratched his scalp. "Just tell me, do you feel anything?"

"I just proved you I don't," the girl sounded a bit irritated.

"No, that was physical. I meant emotions. Do you feel anger? Disgust? Joy? Anything."

Amara frowned and bit her lower lip. Apparently she was thinking about what Reed said and she was silent for a while.

"That was unexpected," she said finally. "Why would you need to know that?"

"That's a part of the experiment. Still?" Reed looked at her.

"Well, I never thought about that. No one asked me. But… you know, the thing is… I've been like this for more than ten years now and I simply can't remember what emotions are. I mean, how does that feel?"

"How does that feel feeling?" Johnny was puzzled.

"Yeah," she turned to him.

"Is there anything you remember from when you were um… human?" Reed asked. "I mean…"

"Oh I know what you mean," Amara's eyes narrowed. "Yes, I do."

"You still have that feeling?" Reed went on.

"Well… yeah, I guess I do," Amara nodded. "And actually…"

But she was interrupted by a person that was standing at the lab doors.

"Excuse me, I got documents for Dr. Richards from NGA," that was a tall blond guy holding a folder with NGA logo on it. "Hey Amara!" he came into the lab.

"Are they out of couriers?" Amara smiled lightly.

"No, I was just heading this direction and decided to come see you," he came to the girl and wrapped his free hand around her waist. "Missed me?"

"Sure," her expression was hard to read. "Guys, this is Max from the NGA and these," Amara took a folder from the guy's hands, "are I guess the list of tests you need to run." She handed the folder to Reed.

"Yeah, exactly," the guy nodded. "And you should send the results to us this week. This is to get you prepared for the mission. Look sweet, I got an amazing news," he looked at Amara.

"Really?" she smiled but Johnny could swear this time her smile was cold.

"Guess who will be the first pilot for this mission?"

"You?"

"Yep! Together again!" the guy was beaming.

_He is an absolute jerk!__ An incarnation of pure jerkiness! Is he her boyfriend? Looks like it. What did she find in him? Do girls think he's hot? Need to ask Sue about that. Why the hell is he still holding his hand on her waist? You take it away idiot! And is that me or does he really moving his hand down to her precious cute ass? One more move like that and our pilot will turn into an ashes. And why the hell is he saying that he will be a pilot?_

"Excuse me," Johnny was doing his best to keep his voice calm. "Are you going to be our pilot?"

"First pilot, and yes, I am."

"But I thought I will be the pilot as long as I was NASA's youngest pilot before I turned into a superhero," Johnny smiled confidently.

Amara gave him a puzzled look.

"Well this is a submarine, not a freaking spaceship," the blond guy looked puzzled too.

"Spaceships are not freaking," Ben said warningly.

_Oh thanks, Rocky! I might get used to agree with you._

"But submarine goes under water not in space," Max crossed his arms. "Besides, NASA kicked your bu… I meant, fired you long before you were able to make camp fires without matches. It was after this Victoria's Secret models issue when you…"

"Oh stop with that already!" Johnny exclaimed as he saw Amara giggling. "That happened ages ago! How did you even get to know that?"

"Your profile, man," Max answered with superiority on his face.

Amara was coughing suspiciously loudly.

"What? Do NGA people spend all their time reading another people's profiles?" Johnny couldn't stop.

"It is never bad to know the truth," Max was at the brink too.

"Your NGA profiles are one stupid lie which…"

But he didn't finish because a huge amount of water fell from the ceiling on his and Max's heads. They both were soaking.

"Hey!?" Max turned to Amara.

"Sorry, couldn't help it," she smiled innocently.

"It is freezing!" he was going on.

"I know, that's why you better go home and change. You don't need to get sick before the mission," Amara crossed her arms.

"Okay, sweet. Have any plans for tonight?" Max went to her. "We could have a very good time together…"

She frowned a bit.

_Turn him down! Please turn him down or I swear I __will roast him! _

"Actually I already have something to do so…"

_That's good. Didn't want to be a murderer actually!_

"Okay, but you owe me one," Max leaned forward to kiss her lips but she swiftly pecked his cheek. "Why?" he murmured quietly.

"You need to go. See you Max," she gave him a look.

"Okay, okay. Goodbye everyone and don't forget to send tests' results to us."

And he went out.

There was silence for a minute.

"Look guys, I'm sorry for Max," Amara started with an awkward smile. "He is such a show-off sometimes."

"Nah, don't worry," Ben smiled sympathetically. "We got one show-off of our own," and he pointed at Johnny.

Amara smiled gratefully to him.

"Hey, there's nothing similar between us," Johnny crossed his arms.

"Oh come on!" Ben continued. "I'm sure if you were in the same situation you would hug your hot girlfriend and speak of being a first pilot too."

"Whatever," the guy waved his hand. "And the water _is_ freezing, you know."

"Johnny, go get changed, you can get sick," Sue reminded him.

Johnny wanted to heat himself but then he remembered he was not wearing his special costume and sighed.

"Okay, I'll go. And what about our tests, Reed?"

"We will run them later in the evening, I guess."

"Okay then, see you later."

As Johnny entered his room he took off his wet T-shirt and jeans and suddenly decided to take a nap. Who knows maybe he will be able to take Amara out tonight as soon as she turned her boyfriend down?

_Man is she hot!_

And he fell asleep.

***

"Johnny! Jonhhy! Wake up!" he heard Sue's voice trough his sleep. "Reed wants you for the tests."

"Oh jeez," the guy sighed and looked at his sister. "How long was I out?"

"Almost 5 hours. It's 7 p.m. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll be there soon."

"Okay, you've got half an hour," and Sue left.

_I need coffee.__ Hot hot coffee. Maybe just as hot as Amara but I'm not sure it exists. _

In the kitchen to his surprise he found Amara. She was sitting in the chair with a book and a big cup of hot coffee that smelled delicious.

"Um… hey…" Johnny suddenly felt nervous.

"Hey," she answered not looking up from the book.

"Is there any coffee left?"

"I guess so," she obviously wasn't in a mood for a long talk.

Johnny took the coffeepot and found out it was cold.

"Damn," he hissed.

"What's wrong?" Amara finally looked at him.

"The coffee got cold."

She smiled lightly and stretched her hand towards the coffeepot and started to slowly tighten her palm. A second later steam went out or the spout.

"There you go."

"Wow, that is handy. If I wanted to do the same I'd occasionally melt the dishes."

She smiled again.

"So, reading is your hobby, huh?" Johnny sat next to her.

"What?"

"Books, other people's profiles…"

"Well sort of."

"If I bother you you can just say that and not answer with one word," he was irritated.

Amara looked at him with interest.

"Actually I guess you bother everyone around but I'm fine with that," she answered. "Just tired."

"Oh, okay… so I assume Reed has your profile?" Johnny gave her his best smile.

"Yeah, why?" Amara looked down in the book but Johnny could swear she frowned and bit her lip.

"Well, I just think it's fair if I read your profile as soon as you've read mine. And your boyfriend did too by the way."

"This is our job," she suddenly stood up and grabbed her book and the cup. "And my profile is non of your business."

"Hey, that is what I call double standards," Johnny looked up at her.

"Whatever," she started to move towards the door.

"Hey, I was just kidding. Amara!" he stood up too.

"Whatever," he heard from the hall.

"Johnny, where the hell are you?" Reed's angry voice came from the lab.

"On my way!" he shouted back and finished up his coffee.

Couple of minutes later Reed took his blood sample.

"Done," he said swiftly.

"What? You needed a drop of my blood and that's why you woke me up?" Johnny was irritated.

"I will explore it and say how your DNA will act during the changes of pressure. Now you may go."

"But you have millions of my DNA samples!"

"We are constantly changing and we need to keep up with that," Reed uploaded the sample in the computer.

"Look…" Johnny scratched his scalp. "D'you have Amara's profile?"

"Why?" Reed suddenly stopped.

"Well, she said she read mine and I wanted to read hers… I thought that would be fair."

"And what did she read in your profile?" Reed seemed interested.

"Apparently that I can't be trusted."

Reed chuckled.

"Well that's true."

"No, really, Reed. I want to read hers," Johnny was insisting.

"Well she can be trusted if that's what you wanted to know. Now go. I need to work."

"Is that a secret?" Johnny didn't give up.

"Look," Reed turned his face to Johnny's. "The NGA information is not for curious people like you, okay?"

"I'm not just curious!"

"And why else would you need that?"

"She's part of our team now and I wanted to know her better."

"Then go talk to her. Besides, why would you want to know her better? To go out with her? Listen, Johnny, stop with that thing. Go find yourself a hot chick and don't even think of Amara, okay? That would be better for you, trust me."

"But why? Because of her powers? But we all have them and…"

"Just trust me. Now go."

Johnny wanted to say something but just turned around and went out of the lab. When he was already in the hall he looked back and saw through transparent doors that Reed took a folder that Johnny immediately recognized as the one Woods gave him yesterday and put it into the safe.

_What on Earth is wrong with that girl that Reed is so freaking out crazy about her profile? _

**And please please please review! Just 'loved it' or 'it sucks' would be enough=) and **_**don't**_** be good=)**


	3. Chapter 3

Next three weeks in Baxter Building were relatively normal. Reed was constantly in the lab with Sue helping him from time to time, Ben was spending more with Alicia before the mission and Johnny was wandering around not having much to do. He stopped a terror act in Albania and rescued people from a sinking ship in Japan but all in all he was bored. As for the new inhabitant of the Baxter she was in the lab when Reed needed her and in her bed at nights. The other time Johnny couldn't see her anywhere in the Baxter which was making him angry. Three weeks in one building! He would have already kissed, had sex and dumped any other girl but to Amara he hardly said two words.

He spent almost every night in clubs getting girls because as he explained to Sue the mission is never safe and you have to manage to have the time of your life before you die. "Or, even worse, turn into Ben," he added.

And of course he wanted to show Amara that her presence in no way influences his behavior and he will always be Johnny Storm. Deep inside Johnny knew that was childish but he never thought much about what he is doing anyway.

"Okay guys," Reed gathered the members of the Fantastic Four plus Amara in the lab early in the morning before the mission. "We have to do our best and stay safe."

"You gathered us in 5 in the morning just to tell the obvious?" Johnny couldn't help yawning. He didn't sleep that night because it was the last night of his 'have time of your life' program before the mission and he wanted to get hundred and ten percent of it.

"Johnny, the helicopters will be here in half an hour, we have got to be ready," Sue reminded him.

"Why would I need a helicopter to get somewhere?" Johnny turned to her.

"Well after you haven't sleep at all tonight I guess we would have to ask Amara to get you out of the Gulf," Ben said.

"Actually I doubt I would do that," Amara added.

Johnny looked at her. Her face didn't show any emotion.

"Well then Reed must be right, you do not have any feelings," Johnny chuckled.

"Well if even a homeless puppy couldn't make me feel anything you don't have a chance," she answered still stone calm.

"A puppy?" Johnny was puzzled.

"Oh hasn't Reed told you? He was experimenting to find out if I have any emotions and as one of the tests he brought a homeless puppy."

"Oh poor thing!" Sue exclaimed.

Amara turned to Sue finally with an expression on her face. She was puzzled.

"Do puppies really make people feel something?" she asked in disbelief and she looked sincere.

"You didn't feel anything?" Ben raised his rocky eyebrows.

"Not a single sensor beeped," Reed answered for Amara.

"Wow! You are a really kind and sensitive person!" Johnny looked at Amara.

"Well maybe I should see your girls? I bet I will feel sorry for them," she looked back.

Ben laughed loudly and Reed chuckled.

"Not funny," Johnny gave them a look.

"Guys, stop it! We have twenty minutes, let's take our bags and go to the roof," Sue said loudly.

"No, really, why do we need five days to get to that Trench?" Johnny wouldn't stop. "I could get there in an hour. And besides, we could use the Fantansticar."

"I thought we have already discussed it yesterday when I told you the details of the mission. First, we need to get to the Pacific Ocean, second, we need to go eleven kilometer underwater and third, we need to find and extract a substance we have almost no information about. It all takes time and powers so we have to save them for the mission and not for showing-off. Are we clear?" Reed raised his eyebrows finishing the discussion.

"Sir, yes, sir!" Johnny gave a fake salute. "Just one more question, may I?"

"Go ahead," Reed sighed.

"Who is the commander of the mission? You?"

"Well, I'm responsible for the scientific part but there will be someone military as well. Now are we done? Let's get moving!"

About twenty minutes later all five of them were standing on top of the Baxter Building and soon two military helicopters showed up. When they landed Sue and Reed headed to one of them and Ben and Amara to another. Johnny wasn't sure where to go but then he heard Reed's voice.

"Johnny, you are coming with us! Ben is enough for one helicopter."

Half an hour later they landed on a military base and saw a military plane with already started engines. They all got off the helicopters and headed towards the plane. There was a woman in a military uniform talking to a man. When she turned to them Johnny stopped.

_No! This can't be happening! _

"Hello Dr. Richards, Mrs. Richards, long time no see," the woman said with a polite smile.

It was Frankie Raye, the one they worked together on that silver surfer problem.

"Captain Raye, what a surprise!" Sue smiled.

"Actually, Mayor Raye. I will go with you on this mission."

_NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!_

"Mr. Grimm, Mr. Storm," Frankie was greeting them and she looked at Johnny a second longer than at the others. "And you must be Aquamarine," she turned to Amara.

Amara nodded slightly but there was suspicion on her face.

"So we may take our seats, we are leaving in five minutes," Frankie nodded to other men in military uniforms standing near and started to move towards the entrance. The others followed.

Johnny was the last one to enter the plane and by that time there was only one seat left. It was next to Frankie and right in front of Amara.

_Damn_.

Still he had no choice but to sit down.

"I like first class better," he murmured.

"Well this plane is faster and I remember that you are all about speed," Frankie looked at him with a smirk.

Johnny felt confused. He took a quick look at Amara and could swear she frowned a bit.

_Aha!_

"So Frankie, Mayor now, huh?" he looked at Frankie. "Congratulations."

"Thank you Johnny," she smiled. "If that is okay to call you so."

"Well I guess we all might use our first names as long as it is not our first mission. What do you say guys?" Johnny looked at his fellow team members.

"Sure, why not," Sue supported his idea.

"And what about you?" Frankie looked at Amara. "Mayor Woods informed me that we have to call you Aquamarine."

Amara chuckled.

"You can call me whatever you want," she answered a second later.

As soon as the plane flew up Amara closed her eyes and leaned back on her seat and it looked like she immediately fell asleep. Johnny tried to do the same because he was tired.

_Wow that is one awkward situation. Frankie is here. I hope she's not too angry with me because of our break up. Besides__ that wasn't me who dumped her, we broke up because we both wanted to. And I also hope she does not think that we can be back together. Well actually she is hot! And her uniform shows all her assets. Hey man, stop thinking about Frankie! Hold up, why shouldn't I? Amara doesn't seem to care about me… and let's just say… well, who's hotter? Amara is younger, that's for sure. How old is she actually? I definitely need to have a look in her profile… man am I tired! I need to sleep… and I have to not put my head on Frankie's shoulder…_

_***_

"Johnny, wake up," someone was shaking his shoulder. "Johnny!"

"Uh? What?" he opened his eyes.

"The plane landed, we need to go," it was Frankie.

Johnny looked around. Everyone seemed sleepy but still they were awake and the plane engines were off.

"Ugh, my back!" Ben stretched himself. "It was one awful flight."

"Well the good thing is that it is over," Sue was positive as usual. "Let's go out, shall we?"

"Where are we?" Johnny asked when they were already on the ground.

"US army base in San-Francisco, here we have both landing strip and dock so we don't need to go anywhere else. The submarine is here," Frankie was nodding to all people they were meeting on their way.

Johnny saw that the base was on a coast. They had the Pacific Ocean in front of them.

Amara headed towards it. The ocean was about ten feet under and the view was amazing.

"Where is she going?" Frankie frowned. "Aquamarine, come back!" she shouted.

But Amara didn't listen. She went as close to the edge as possible and stopped. She was staring at the ocean and it was like she was taking it in.

"Amara!" Ben shouted. "We need to go!"

The girl turned to them. Then looked back at the ocean and came to where they were standing.

Soon they came to the submarine, the top part of which was above the water surface. Johnny immediately saw a group of men in military uniforms that were standing in a row in before the submarine. The first in the row was Max.

"On behalf of the navy of the USA let me salute you and say welcome to the Hydra 7!" he said in a ceremonial voice.

"Okay, we let you," Johnny couldn't help himself. "Go ahead, salute us."

"Johnny, stop it," Sue hissed.

Max gave him an angry look but didn't answer.

"Let our team escort you to your staterooms," he nodded to other men in uniforms who were actually older than him. Well, he really was the first pilot.

The submarine was unexpectedly spacey inside. They went thought a large passage and suddenly came into a large space filled with computers. But what caught their attention were large windows which allowed seeing what was happening outside of the submarine. The view was actually sort of boring by now but Johnny could imagine what will happen when they start to move and go deeper.

"This is our main room and laboratory as well. We will spend most of the time here," Max was saying on the go. "We will show you around later, maybe tomorrow, as I assume you are tired after the flights. And now about the rooms… Dr. Richards, Mr. Grimm and Mr. Storm, you will stay in one stateroom, and Mrs. Richards, Mayor Raye and Aquamarine, you will stay in another."

"Hey, hold up," Johnny looked at Max. "Reed and Sue are kinda married, so why couldn't they…"

"This is a military submarine, we don't have honeymoon suits here," Max interrupted him.

"Well too bad…"

"Look, let's stop it," Reed interfered. "We are all tired and we need some sleep. Let's go to our rooms, shall we?" he looked at Max.

"Sure, Dr. Richards, this way please. There is a kitchen and showers near your rooms, you will see it yourself. And I need to go," he nodded to them all and then to Amara and left.

"Okay, whatever," Johnny critically looked around when they entered their room. There were two normal beds and one more was bigger. Apparently, for Ben. Johnny threw his bag near one of them and flopped on it. "If you guys sneeze I will kill you…" he murmured falling asleep.

***

When Johnny woke up the room was already empty. He finally got enough sleep but now he was hungry. Johnny quickly took a shower and headed towards the kitchen.

_Oh damn!_

This was his first thought as he entered the kitchen because he saw Frankie and Amara there. Frankie was eating something at the table and Amara was making coffee.

"Good morning ladies," Johnny forced out a smile.

"Hi Johnny, actually it's noon, but still a good one," Frankie gave him a smile. "Join me?"

"Um, I guess so," the guy scratched his scalp. She was eating a steak that smelled and looked amazingly delicious.

"Here, sit down, I have another one for you," she nodded towards another plate.

"Oh, thanks," he sat down in front of her. Aquamarine was behind Frankie's back. "Um… Amara, are you hungry?" he thought that not offering food to her would be impolite.

"No, thank you."

"Wow, Frankie, that tastes great! Did you cook it yourself?" he exclaimed a minute later.

"Of course. Don't you remember how good I cook? You used to like it, especially meat," she was using her most seductive smile. "Don't you miss it?"

That was so unexpected that Johnny started to cough. He suddenly took a look at Amara and noticed that she stopped what she was doing for a second but didn't turn back.

"Um, actually… well…" Johnny couldn't find words.

"Oh come on Johnny," Frankie put down a fork. "Can't we just stop pretending?"

Suddenly the juice that was standing near her started to boil and steam appeared.

"What the…?" Frankie frowned.

They heard a sound of steam coming from a kettle and water boiling in a close plastic bottle. A second later the cork flew up in the air and water came out as a geyser.

"What is going on?!" Frankie shouted and jumped on her feed.

Johnny stood up too and looked at Amara. There was shock on her face and she was staring at her palms. Then she met Johnny's gaze and rushed out of the kitchen without saying a word.

"Thanks, Frankie, the steak was great," Johnny smiled quickly and followed Amara.

Frankie didn't say anything.

"Amara! Amara!" Johnny was running behind her through the passage.

"What?" she finally stopped.

"What was that?"

"None of your business, get back to your lovebird," she tried to turn away but Johnny caught her fist.

"Lovebird?" he smirked. "Wait, are you jealous?"

"What?" Amara gave him an angry look. "You wish!"

"Hey, hey, calm down," Johnny raised his hands. "You are almost shouting. You know, I may think that Reed's mistaken this time and you do have emotions," he smirked again.

"I don't care what you think," her eyes narrowed. "I don't have time for your blah-blah."

"And why are you so busy?"

"Because I and Reed are about to go diving."

"Oh, Reed's first diving experience," Johnny remembered. "You take care of him."

"Sure," she rolled her eyes. "Now get lost!"

"Why are you so rude?" Johnny made a puppy dog face.

"Get lost," Amara repeated and went towards the lab room.

Johnny smirked to himself and headed towards their room. There he found Reed who was unsuccessfully trying to zip his diver costume. Finally he managed to do it using his powers.

"How do humans do it?" Reed was puzzled.

Johnny pointed at a lace on a zipper without a word.

"Oh," Reed looked confused.

"Nervous, huh?" Johnny sat on his bed. "Nah, don't sweat it."

"I have never tried diving before," Reed frowned.

"That's fun actually. Well if you want to I can go."

"Johnny, I thought we've already discussed that. Water pressure in the Mariana Trench is way too high and only I can handle it thanks to my powers."

"And Amara?"

"She was, well, designed for that," Reed turned to Johnny.

"What a nice word," the younger guy rolled his eyes.

"Look, Johnny, I told you to stay away from Amara."

"Oh stop with that!" Johnny exclaimed. "Look I have a question. I still don't get it, does she have emotions?"

"Well as I can say after the tests she can feel only the strongest emotions. She's indefinite to such things as pity, compassion, but she says she remembers some emotions from her past."

"And what about feelings?"

"I'm not sure. But you see, feelings are something you need to keep and develop for a long time and emotions are something temporal. Bang – here comes the emotion," Reed looked excited.

"O-kay," Johnny scratched his scalp. "So feelings are way too… um… deep for her, right? And is jealousy an emotion? Or a feeling?"

Reed looked at him with interest.

"Why?"

Johnny made an innocent face.

"Nothing, just wondering."

"Well hypothetically she can feel jealousy. But I really don't understand why you need to know that."

"Reed! Reed, are you ready?" Sue was knocking on the door.

"Yes, Sue, I'm coming. Let's go," Reed turned to Johnny.

When three of them entered the lab other members of the Fantastic Four along with Frankie and Amare were already there. There were also Max and other crew members.

"So, ready for your first time, huh?" Amara smiled at Reed. She was wearing her black costume and there was something like bigger watches on her left hand.

"Sort of," Reed smiled unconfidently.

"Okay, this is how it works," Max interfered. "There is an exit there," he pointed at one of the doors. "There is one more room. You come in there and the doors close. When they are closed you go into next room and turn on the equipment, when those doors close too, another one will open and you will immediately be in water. Got it?"

"W-well, yeah," Reed was a bit pale.

"Don't worry, I did it millions of times, just do as I do," Amara smiled and attached an earphone.

"We have stopped the submarine, it isn't moving," Max went on. "And this depth is enough to try diving."

"And what's this?" Ben pointed at the watch-like device on Amara's arm.

"Communication device. I send messages to a submarine computer when necessary. But I guess I won't be needing it today, I took it just in case," she answered. "Ready? Let's go then."

Reed took a deep breath and hugged Susan.

"Oh come on, it's not like you are going to war!" Johnny rolled his eyes.

"Okay, I'm ready."

Reed and Amara came to the door and Amara pressed one of the buttons near it. The door opened and they stepped into the next room.

About three minutes later Ben shouted:

"Look, guys! There they are!"

He was pointing at one of the windows. The water outside was dark but there were lights on boards of the submarine which was letting them see what was happening there.

Johnny saw Reed and Amara there. He froze. He never saw something as graceful as her. Amara was floating and the light was playing on the emerald scales of her tail. She was doing spirals apparently showing off and Johnny couldn't help smiling.

Reed was not as bad as Johnny was expecting him to. Reed swam up and Amara followed him.

"Hey, Reed, d'you like it?" Ben said into a microphone.

Reed turned to them and nodded several times. He looked absolutely happy. Sue was laughing.

"Look, Dr. Richards, could you swim around the submarine? Just to try?" Max said into a microphone about five minutes later.

Reed nodded and then turned to Amara. He was making some moves with his arms and it looked like he was persuading her to let him swim alone. She was hesitating for a while but finally nodded. Reed started to move slowly along the board and Amara headed higher and went on enjoying swimming.

"Hey, where is he?" Ben asked in couple of minutes. The submarine was really huge so no one worried about Reed being slow.

"Under the submarine, I guess," Max answered looking at one of the screens. "Wait… what's that?" he pointed at one of the moving dots on the screen.

"Aquamarine?" another crew member came to him.

"No, I doubt that. And there are two more such dots," Max frowned. "Actually it's time for Reed to show up already."

"What?" Sue and Johnny came to the screen too.

"Well, we should've seen him on the left of the submarine by now," another man answered.

"Oh my God," Ben's voice was lower than usual. "Look here, guys."

They all turned towards Ben and froze with horror. They were finally able to see Reed through a window but he was not alone. There were five sharks swimming in circles around him. He was swinging around but sharks were everywhere.

"Reed," Sue whispered covering her mouth. Johnny's eyes widened.

"You idiots!" Max shouted suddenly. "Why didn't you turn the stronger sensors? Why didn't we see them coming earlier?"

"Sharks don't normally appear here in this season," someone answered in a shaky voice.

"Stop giving your excuses!" Max was furious. "We need to do something!"

"Reed!" Sue shouted.

Sharks started to attack. The first one hit Reed with a tail and another one opened its jaw and bit his left leg.

"No!" Sue ran towards the window.

Johnny noticed there have been more sharks now. He could see nine and they were all trying to bite Reed and were hitting him with tails and flippers. Johnny could already see the blood.

Suddenly something swam swiftly in the center of the fight. That was Amara. She was trying to get Reed out of that bunch of sharks but they started to bite her too. She couldn't even touch Reed.

Amara swam a bit back of the sharks and abruptly hit them with her tail. She was hitting and hitting not trying to hit a particular one but just trying to get them off of Reed. Apparently she was stronger than the sharks because they were getting back.

Johnny hugged Susan and squeezed her shoulders. The view of fighting bodies in bloody water was hard to watch.

As soon as she was able, Amara swam to Reed and grabbed him. Then she swam with an enormous speed towards the submarine.

"Quickly, open the doors!" Max yelled.

All crew members began to run around and pressing some buttons on the walls and keyboards. Max ran towards the door and Johnny followed him.

"Faster, faster!" Max was shouting.

"We are doing it as fast as we can!" one man shouted back looking at the screen. "They already are in the first room but we need to pump out the water."

A second later the first door opened. Max and Johnny ran into the room.

"Don't close this door," Max commanded. "Come on, open the second one!"

"There is still water in the next room, the doors wouldn't open, they're constructed that way," someone answered.

"I will break this stupid system!" Max was shouting and Johnny kept silence this whole time. He just couldn't say a word.

Sue tried to follow them but Ben was holding her back.

"Okay, we're ready!" someone shouted and the doors opened.

"My Gosh, Reed!" Johnny yelled.

Reed and Amara were on the floor, both bleeding. Reed's diver costume was ripped and his left leg turned into bloody piece of meat. He was unconscious.

Amara's tail was all covered with injures. Scales were missing in some places and blood was all over it. She was lying on her stomach with her hand on her gills.

"Quickly, grab him and let's go!" Max commanded.

"Hey, what about Amara?"

"Quickly, quickly, move! She needs water to transform herself back into her human form, we need to open the door. And she can't breathe now, see, she's covering her gills from air. Move!"

They carefully lifted Reed.

"But sharks may come back if you open the door!"

"We'll make it fast, don't worry. Let's go!"

They tried to get to the main room as fast as possible. Johnny looked back. The doors closed again.

"Get him to the hospital room, faster!" Max commanded to another man.

"I'll do that myself," Ben stopped them and took Reed. "Show me where to go."

Ben, Sue and some other people left.

"Come on, we need to get Amara out of there!" Johnny yelled at Max.

"We are doing our best!" he yelled back.

At the same moment the door opened and Amara showed up. She was on her feet but she was shaking. Her black costume was half unzipped. She closed her eyes and started to fall, Max and Johnny both ran to her but Johnny was faster. He lifted her bridal style and looked at her. She was pale as sheet but there were no injures on her legs which was surprising. But soon he remembered what she had said about how scales heal her legs.

"Johnny, take her to our room, we'll get the doctor there, quick," Frankie suddenly commanded. "Come on, follow me."

She quickly went into a passage. Johnny was behind her and soon they were in girl's room.

"This is her bed, lay her down, I'll take care of her," Frankie came closer to her and started to unzip the Amara's costume.

"But," he tired to say something.

"Trust me, I'll take care of her," she repeated. "I am a woman for God's sake."

"I'll go get the doctor," Max came into the room with them but now went out.

"Johnny, go, I need to undress her," Frankie looked at him.

"Okay, um… I'll go check Reed."

"I am the doctor, let me in," a middle-aged man came into the room. "What do we have here?"

Johnny went out and ran towards the hospital room. Near the entrance he saw Ben.

"How is he?"

"You can't come in," Ben stopped him. "Sue's already in there."

"Is he okay?" Johnny repeated.

"They say they did their best," Ben wasn't looking at him. "But no one knows what will happen. He lost a lot of blood. How's Amara?"

"The doctor's with her. And Frankie's there." Johnny massaged his temples. "I'm gonna go crazy."

"Yeah, that's been one crazy day," Ben nodded gloomily.

"Excuse me," it was one of the crew members. "I think you should better go to your room."

"Yeah, I guess so," Johnny nodded. "Come on, Ben."

"I can't leave Reed!"

"They won't let us in anyway, let's not bother them in vain. Come on."

When they entered the room Ben sat on his bed and Johnny leaned against the wall.

_I am gonna go crazy. _

**Hey guys, I ****am being serious now. I like it that you subscribe to this story and add it to favorites, but I NEED YOUR REVIEWS! Is that too much to ask? **

**I do love writing this story but I will update less often if I don't get reviews. I'm not asking for long reviews even two words will make me happy. **


	4. Chapter 4

Johnny managed to fall asleep only in the morning. He was checking his watches every hour and only at 7 am, when he thought it was hopeless, he finally fell asleep.

When Johnny woke up Ben was already gone somewhere. Johnny stood up, got dressed and went out of the room. He was starving.

In the empty kitchen he made himself sandwiches and coffee. He felt mixed up. This mission wasn't going like it was supposed to all along and now he was regretting they had even signed up for that. His thoughts were interrupted when someone entered the kitchen.

"Amara!" he jumped on his feet.

That was her. She was pale but anyway looked much better than yesterday and she was conscious on her feet, which alone was reassuring. She smiled at him and Johnny froze.

That was a normal human smile, warm and a bit shy, without her normal sarcasm in it.

Johnny couldn't say a word for a while. Only when she grabbed her coffee and some snacks and sat beside him he was finally able to speak.

"Hey, how're you doing?"

"Fine, just tired. And starving," she chuckled and put a brownie in her mouth.

"Look, I'm glad you're okay."

_Oh__ that was a good one, why didn't I just say then "I'm glad you are alive"?! Idiot. _

"Me too actually."

There was an awkward silence for a minute.

"How's Reed?" Amara asked and frowned.

"I don't know," Johnny sighed. "I wanted to check him yesterday after all this but I and Ben weren't allowed in."

"Is Sue there?"

"I guess so. Where else could she be after what happened. Damn, that's just crazy!" he put his head into his hands.

To his surprise he felt Amara's hand in his shoulder.

"Come on, you are Human Torch. I'm sure you've been through worse. It'll be okay," she said in a gentle voice.

He looked at Amara surprised.

"What's gone into you?" he asked praying inside that she will keep her hand on his shoulder.

"What?" she frowned and took her hand away.

_Damn!_

"You are the last person I expected to tell someone to hang on," he said what was on his mind.

She frowned again and stood up.

"Hey, hey, wait! I didn't mean to offend you!" Johnny caught her elbow.

"I'm not offended," she was puzzled. "Just want more coffee," she showed him her empty cup. "You want some?"

"Oh," he let go of her arm. "No, thanks, I'm fine."

Amara chuckled and poured herself another cup.

"I know the kind of person I am," she said suddenly when she sat down. "It's just… I've never felt responsible for anyone else's life before and when I saw Reed and sharks… well, it's kinda different now."

"Oh…" the guy didn't know what to say. "Well, thanks for taking care of Reed."

"I promised you, remember?" she smiled again.

"You started to smile more often."

"If that's bad I can stop it," she chuckled but her face was somehow concerned.

"Your smile if perfect," he said seriously, looking straight into her eyes. "Really."

She didn't say anything and looked back at him.

"Sue, you need to eat something!" they heard Ben's loud voice from the passage and turned their heads towards the entrance.

Ben was literally dragging Susan into the kitchen, she was struggling but there was of course no use.

"I am not hungry!"

"No you are!" they entered the kitchen.

"Amara!"

"Kiddo!"

They ran towards Amara and Ben lifted her up and hugged her.

"Thank you so much!" Sue waited until Ben put Amara down and hugged her too.

"For what?" Amara was puzzled and apparently confused by all these actions.

"For saving Reed," Sue hugged her again. "I will never forget that!"

"Is Reed okay?" Johnny interfered while Ben was hugging confused Amara for the second time.

"They say he will live," Sue took a deep breath. "He's sleeping now."

"May we see him?" Amara asked.

"Well, maybe later," Sue nodded and made herself tea. "You want something Ben?"

"Of course, but I'll help myself. Kiddo, I'm so glad you are okay!"

"Thanks, me too," Amara smiled again and Johnny couldn't help smiling too.

"Hello everyone," it was Frankie. She looked concerned and displeased.

"Is everything okay?" Sue asked carefully.

"Well, we have some problems with fulfilling the task, as you can see," Frankie poured herself coffee and turned to them. "So we need to figure out another solution."

"Why would we need to do that?" Amara frowned. "I can do everything by myself."

"Are you sure?" Frankie raised her eyebrows. "We still need doctors to survey you."

"I am fine," Amara crossed her arms.

"Well let me see your stomach then," Frankie crossed her arms too.

"What?" Johnny thought he misheard her.

"I am fine," Amara repeated, her voice firm.

"Pull up your shirt, Aquamarine," Frankie raised her voice.

Amara looked frustrated. She gave Frankie a look but still did as she was told.

"My Gosh!" Sue gasped.

Johnny's eyes widened. Amara's flat stomach and back were all covered with fresh injures, some of them were bright red.

Frankie came closer to Amara.

"You shouldn't have pulled it up so quickly, see, you opened some injures with your shirt," she examined injures. "You need to go to the doctor."

"I am fine," Amara answered angrily, pulling her shirt down.

"This was an order," Frankie looked at her. "By the way, you may see Dr. Richards now, he woke up," she said to everyone. "Just not all at a time."

All for of them stood up.

"Not all at a time," Frankie repeated. "Johnny, could you visit Reed a bit later?"

"Why me?"

"I need to discuss a certain aspect of our mission," Frankie looked at him.

Johnny noticed that Amara gave Frankie a look but came out, Sue and Ben followed.

"What did you need to discuss?" Johnny asked willing to finish it quickly and join the others.

"Benefits we can get when we are back together."

"Pardon me?" Johnny was puzzled. "Did you say… like really say…"

"You heard me Johnny," Frankie crossed her arms.

"Um…" the guy scratched his scalp. "Could you tell me what you mean please?"

"Johnny, stop that. You understood me," she sat down in front of him. "It will be better for us if we get back together."

"Frankie, there is no…" Johnny started.

"Let me finish. You can't see all your potential, Johnny, and you do not fulfill it in Fantastic Four. I want you to join me."

"Look, you lost me," Johnny had to admit.

"I want to get a higher rank and for that I need to have something, what others don't. Like Mayor Woods does."

"And what does he have what others don't?"

"Well, that's obvious. Aquamarine."

"So you are saying that every Mayor or General or whoever in US Army has his own… well… someone with super powers?" Johnny asked sarcastically.

"Of course not. But having someone like that makes it hundreds of times easier and faster."

"So you want me to be that 'something'?"

"Yes. And for that I will help you get back to NASA."

"I'm fine with Fantastic Four."

"Oh come on! You wanted to be a pilot!"

"Yes I did, but now I'm fine with who I am."

"You mean you are fine with being in the shadow of Reed?" she raised her eyebrow.

"I am not in the shadow of Reed!" Johnny exclaimed.

"Oh really? And why then are you following all his orders and do as he says?"

"And if I join you wouldn't it be the same?"

"Well of course you will have to follow my orders, but there will be missions only from time to time and all the other time you will spend in space. Well, actually, I will need just to _claim_ I have someone like you in my team and that will be enough, trust me. Everyone knows what you are capable of. So? What will you say?"

"Actually I thought you were saying about us being together as a couple?"

"Well, that could be a really pleasant bonus," she smiled seductively.

"And without that bonus?" Johnny asked carefully.

"Our relationship is something that will make working together more confiding. But personal should only serve business. I would never let any feelings come between me and my career."

"So you wanted to break up with me because our relationship was holding you back from your career?" Johnny couldn't believe it.

_Wow that one was painful for my self-__esteem.._

"Johnny, snap out of your perfect little world. There is no love, no friendship, there is only business. Ordering and executing."

"Well for me it's not all about ordering and executing," he was trying his hardest to stay calm.

"This means you refuse to join me?" Frankie frowned.

"Yes it does."

"You want to serve Reed for the rest of your life?"

"I'm not serving Reed!" Johnny couldn't help exclaiming. "For me there is still such thing as friendship even if it doesn't exist in your book."

"Oh really?" Frankie's eyes narrowed. "Well I guess there is one more thing, isn't it?"

"Like what?"

"You shouldn't wear your heart on your sleeve, if you ask me."

"Huh?"

"Aquamarine," Frankie's look was sarcastic.

"How does she relate here?" Johnny was trying his hardest to hide his confusion.

_Am I really that obvious? Damn!_

"Well maybe she doesn't. But I wouldn't do that, if I were you," she chuckled and gave him last sarcastic look before leaving the room.

"Oh jeez," Johnny sighed to himself as he was alone.

"Hey stop moaning, life is beautiful!" someone exclaimed from behind him.

"Yeah, sure, couldn't be better," he murmured and turned around. "Reed!" Johnny yelled.

"Yeah, I've missed you too."

Reed was standing before him looking absolutely healthy as if a dozen sharks never tried to kill him.

"Reed, what happened? I mean, how are you alright?" Johnny was staring Reed up and down and there weren't any sign of injuries.

"Well, it's all thanks to Amara," Reed was beaming.

"Amara? Hey, Sue what happened?" Johnny noticed that Sue, Ben and Amara entered the kitchen too.

"Well, Amara is totally a hero today," Sue answered.

"She asked me to activate my powers and here I am, healthy as always."

"Huh?" Johnny looked at Amara.

"I just thought that Reed's cells must be regenerating every time he activates his powers, so I figured out that might help him to heal," Amara shrugged her shoulders.

"Then I don't get it!" Johnny crossed his arms.

"That's microbiology, Johnny."

"No, that's just stupid! I mean, sharks attacked, we were all nervous and blah-blah, and then there you are, absolutely healthy. Which means poor sharks spent their time in vain?"

"I wouldn't call that 'in vain' if I look at Amara's stomach," Ben gave Johnny a look.

"Did they survey it?" Johnny turned to Amara.

"'Survey' would be an understatement," she rolled her eyes.

"It's all covered in stitches, nasty," Ben added.

"Does it hurt?" Johnny was worried. The picture of Amara bleeding was still in his head.

"Huh?"

All four pairs of eyes looked at him.

"Um, Johnny…" Sue started carefully.

"What? Oh, no senses, right. I remembered, just forgot… for a second… but I remember… now…" he was confused.

"Okay, I'm officially starving!" Reed interrupted Johnny's murmur.

"Sure, just a second!" Sue exclaimed happily. "What do you guys think about pasta?"

***

"Well I like it here in the submarine but it's freakin' boring here," Johnny was talking to Ben in their room couple of hours later. Reed was in a smaller lab with Sue. This lab was where Reed was allowed to run his tests or whatever he needed while the main lab was constantly occupied by the submarine crew.

"You got that one right Matchstick, I miss Alicia."

"Ain't you over her yet? I mean, such a long time together… I could never get it," Johnny shrugged his shoulders.

"Three years is not long, I want to be with Alicia forever. Thought that's not something you can understand Flamehead. Anything beyond a quickie is way too deep for you."

"Hey, I'm not that bad!" the younger man crossed his arms. "Why don't you think I could be a perfect father, huh?"

"Well only if you marry an older woman that will have a son about your age. Yeah, you will go to clubs together," Ben made a thoughtful expression.

"Oh shut up you pet Rock!"

"Hey, just kidding, don't cry, baby boy," Ben was obviously mocking Johnny.

"And speaking of baby boys, do you and Alicia plan having kids? Oh, and besides, I still can't get it, how do you guys… um… well, you know…"

"You shut up Flamehead!" Ben yelled and rushed towards Johnny right over his bed. The bed creaked a bit when Ben stepped on it but still remained standing.

"Hey, hey, I was just kidding too!" Johnny was trying to get away from furious Ben. "Why d'you always flip out when I ask you 'bout that? You should have gotten used to it by now! Hey, you'll kill me, Rocky!"

"What is going on here?" it was Max. He was standing at the door his arms crossed. He looked angry. "The submarine is basically shaking. It is not designed to handle weights like that running around."

"Got it, sir. No running around," Johnny gave Max a fake salute.

"I am being serious, Mr. Storm," Max gave Johnny a look.

"Is it always that boring here? No wonder you always look sour," Johnny went on.

"We are here to work, not to have fun. Actually I am here to tell you that we are about to start our dive in the Trench so you better stay in your room because you might have a slight headache and you might want to lie down."

"Thank you, sir. Dismissed," Johnny couldn't help mocking Max.

Max's eyes narrowed but he didn't say anything and left the room.

"Did you have to do that?" Ben turned towards the younger man.

"Oh, come on, that was fun," Johnny waved his hand. "You know what, I guess I'll go see what's up here. I haven't seen anything except kitchen, lab and our room in this submarine."

"But Max said we can have a headache and you better stay close to bed."

"D'you really think I'll do as he says?" Johnny asked sarcastically. "Sure."

Ben shook his head.

"See you Rocky."

"Get lost."

Johnny went through the passage and the main lab which was filled with rushing crew members and found a smaller passage which he never noticed before. It led to a room and the door was now open. Johnny came closer.

"Come on, sweet, what happened?"

He recognized Max's voice.

"Nothing, Max, I'm fine," a girl's voice answered.

_Amara! _

"Then why don't you want…"

"Do I always have to want sex, huh?" Amara's voice was irritated. "Let go of me, Max."

"What's wrong?"

"Oh stop that already, I said, everything's okay!"

"Is that because of him?"

"Is what because of whom?"

"Where have you been last three weeks? Since you moved in Baxter I haven't seen you and you haven't called me. You were with him?"

"With whom for God's sake?! Can you express yourself clearly?"

"That Storm guy."

"You are mental. I'm outta here."

"Wait!" Max's voice became rude.

"What?"

"I am done with the way you treat me!"

"Oh really?" Amara asked sarcastically.

"Yes I am. We need to do something about it."

"Okay, fine, let's breakup."

"What? W-wait, that's not what I meant…"

"Well that's what _I_ meant."

"Oh then you are with him."

"I am not with him. And let's get this over with."

"Amara, look, I am being serious. Do you really wanna breakup?"

"Yes, Max, I do. You understand that it's been getting stupid, don't you?"

"But we can fix it, right?"

"Max, that's lame."

"And you won't even say you're sorry?"

"I am not sorry Max and I don't wanna lie."

"Oh you don't wanna lie?" Max asked in a suddenly angry voice. "And did you tell him the truth?"

"First, it has nothing to do with Johnny, and second, that's mean."

"What's mean? Telling the truth?"

"You would have never known about this if you hadn't been Webby's nephew. He told you that stuff, not me, I would never do that. And if you tell anyone…"

"Then what?"

"I will boil all moisture in your body and you will be dying slowly and very painfully," Amara was whispering but all that she was saying was clear. "I swear I will."

"And you would do that to me, babe?" according to his voice Max has fully regained his self-confidence.

"Oh yes I will."

"How violent. And why are you so crazy about that? Huh? Scared that he wouldn't want to talk to you after he finds out…"

"Shut up."

"That was rude, babe," Max was mocking.

"If you tell Johnny," she stopped for a second, "I mean, anyone… if you tell anyone, trust me, I'll kill you."

"But Johnny's the top of your priorities now as I can see."

"I am outta here."

_Damn! Run, idiot! Run!_

Johnny swiftly turned around and almost ran towards the lab, trying not to attarct too much attention. A second later Amara entered the lab and quickly passed it, not noticing Johnny.

He exhaled. _Lucky this time._

Not thinking much of where he is going Johnny suddenly found himself in his room.

"Hey, I thought you were going to hang out somewhere," Ben was lying on his bed.

"What? Oh, hang out, right… well, there is not much space in here for such a huge personality like mine, so here I am. Missed me?"

"Yeah, sure," Ben sighed and sat on his bed. The bed creaked. "I guess I better go eat something."

"Watch your weight," Johnny said as Ben already came out and flopped onto his bed.

_So what do we have here… Amara and Reed are alive and healthy… well, Amara's almost healthy, that is a plus. Amara dumped her boyfriend! That is a plus plus plus… and that idiot was constantly saying something about me and her. That may mean something really good… for me, of course. I'll have to think about it later. And Frankie said I'm too obvious about Amara. That sucks! Have to make myself a mental memo and do something about it._

_And what really bothers me is that stuff they all keep saying about Amara. What the hell is so wrong wit her? Ooh, Jonathan Storm, couldn't you have chosen yourself a girl with less problems all around her? _

_Hey, hey, it's not like she's anything special for me! I just… well… say… have a thing for hotties. And who hasn't? So that's nothing very special about her. Except maybe for that mystery around her. But I swear I'll solve it. _

**Hey guys, sorry this chapter is sort of dull=( but I promise to add some more action in the next one. I really enjoyed your reviews, thank you guys so much! I really needed them=) **

**And sorry again, maybe this chapter is sort of naïve according to how it all worked out with Reed, but I just couldn't leave him paralyzed or something. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Soooo, yet again, I didn't get much reviews for the previous chapter=(((( so now I'm like whatever. I am really done begging you. **

"Okay, guys, that's a very important day for us," Reed gathered members of the Fantastic Four plus Amara in his laboratory next morning. "We must extract this substance and safely transport it in this lab. Let's go over our plan again."

"Again?" Ben sighed.

"Ben," Reed gave him a warning look and Ben sighed again. "And up first is…"

"Me," Amara said in an even voice, which said 'I have done that millions of times and I absolutely don't care'. "I go there by myself with a cam to prospect and then come back and show you how that looks and what size it is. Then…"

"Look, actually I thought that I might come with you…" Reed started.

"No!" the other four exclaimed together.

"But guys…"

"Even if you beg me I'm not taking you," Amara looked at Reed.

"But we found out I can heal," Reed was still insisting.

"That's not it. There are no sharks in the Trench. Actually there is nothing in there, you know that yourself. It's that diving is definitely not your thing," Amara crossed her arms and shrugged her shoulders.

"Okay, okay… so, you come here and we figure out how to transport it here," Reed finished.

"Reed, actually I thought we should have had some ideas before we came here," Ben looked at him.

"Well, I have some, but it all depends on it's size and other details, so… don't worry, Ben, that's what I've been working on all three weeks before the mission. So…" Reed looked in his papers. "Amara, you have three hours before we start, you have to get doctors survey you again. I'll go see if everything's ready."

"Okay," Amara nodded and turned towards the doors.

"Wait," Reed stopped her and took a deep breath. He looked nervous. "Are you sure you can do that? I thought I can trust your profile on that one, but now I'm beginning to doubt what I did."

"Reed," Amara rolled her eyes. "During tests, which I have experienced millions of times, I was put into much more severe conditions. I am definitely able to withstand this Trench."

"But I haven't survey you in that field. Are you sure…"

"NGA scientists have been working on my powers and developing them for about ten years and I know every single aspect of them. Besides, Webby wouldn't have sent me here if he hadn't been sure I can do that, he needs this thing."

"This might be just another attempt."

"No, Reed, that can't be. This can only be the last attempt. If I can't get this stuff, no one can," Amara looked absolutely confident.

"Hey, guys, you lost me," Johnny interfered.

"It's about the pressure, right?" Ben looked at Reed.

"Yes, the pressure here is about 15.800 psi", Reed nodded.

"Is that much?"

"Well, Johnny, how to say… if a piece of a lead, say, size of a tennis ball, gets in this trench, it will immediately be squeezed in a 1 millimeter thick tablet. The pressure in the very bottom of the Trench, where the substance is supposed to be, is thousands of times bigger than on the surface, ordinary human soft tissues can't withstand that, in fact, I doubt even Ben can."

"And you can?" Johnny turned to Amara. "Hell, that's dangerous!"

"Another one," the girl rolled her eyes. "My soft tissues are not that soft."

"But you were injured by sharks, how can you withstand a pressure?"

"Shark jaws and water pressure are different things. That's like a balloon. A certain balloon can handle a certain amount of pressure but can't handle a tiniest needle. That's kinda how it works," she turned to Reed. "So if we are done here, I better go to the hospital room."

"And I need to check the equipment. Sue, Ben, could you help me?" Reed came towards his table when Amara left.

"And what am I supposed to do?" Johnny crossed his arms.

"Well, go somewhere, do something, I don't know," Reed shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh, great, why did I even have to come here?"

"Maybe pilots need help, you could ask them," Sue suggested.

"Yeah, sure, like Max would let me. Okay, I'm outta here. You'll find me if you need me."

He left the smaller lab and headed towards the main one.

"Hey, maybe you need any help?" he asked one of the crew members that was passing by.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, I could help you with something?" Johnny offered being not sure what exactly he could do.

"No, thank you, there is no need, sir."

"Actually, I just don't know what to do," Johnny confessed.

"Well, maybe you should ask Captain Hudgens?"

"Who?"

"Max Hudgens, the first pilot."

"Oh no, thank you. I guess I can live with boredom," Johnny immediately refused.

"Well, actually… I thought…" the guy scratched his scalp, he lost all his formality and turned out to be twenty or so. He might have been an intern. "There is a gym here…"

"Oh, really?" Johnny was delighted. "And I can go there?"

"Sure, why not. It's right there, second door," the guy pointed at the smaller passage.

"Great, thank you."

"You are welcome, sir," the guy saluted and walked away.

Johnny had no difficulties finding the gym and for the next two hours he has been working out.

Later he was heading towards the shower pulling his shirt off on the go.

"Okay, Steve, I got it. I'll be in my costume," he heard Amara's voice when he entered the passage leading to their rooms and saw her leaving the hospital room.

The girl noticed Johnny shirtless and stopped. The guy stopped too and soon smiled pleased with her expression.

"Like what you see, huh?"

"Oh…" she swiftly came back to the reality. "Well, let's say I'm not disgusted."

"I am really starting to think Reed's mistaken. I'm reading a lot of emotions on your face now," another boyish smile touched Johnny's lips. "Come on, why don't you just admit I'm hot?"

Amara rolled her eyes. Johnny gave her another smile and entered the shower room.

Still smiling to himself he took off his clothes and stepped under hot water. He was enjoying it for a minute when suddenly small ice cubes started to fall on his head instead of water. He checked the tap but there was nothing wrong with it.

"What the hell?" he yelled and rushed out of the shower room, putting a towel around his hips. Amara was still in the passage, demonstratively examining her manicure. "What was that?" the guy tried to shout but his teeth were chattering.

"What was what?" Amara made an innocent face.

"T-this," Johnny couldn't help stuttering.

Amara looked at him and suddenly laughed out loudly. "Sorry," she said through the laughter. "I just wanted to chill you a bit, since you are so hot," she snorted.

"Oh, so now I am?" he made a curious face.

"Drop it," the girl rolled her eyes. "Hey, do something about your clothes, you can get sick."

"Worried about me?" Johnny gave her a mischievous smile and heated himself a bit to evaporate extra water from his body.

"Well, sick people make me feel… sick," the girl returned the smile.

"Aquamarine, could you tell me why you are here chatting with Mr. Storm when you should be preparing for the mission?"

They both turned their heads towards the voice and saw Frankie.

"I am on my way," Amara replied dryly.

"Then you better hurry up," Frankie crossed her arms.

"Excuse me," Amara nodded to both of them and went towards her room.

"A bit of déjà vu, huh?" Frankie looked at Johnny.

"What?" he frowned at her a bit. "Oh, yeah, right. You know what, I gotta go, see you."

"Later," Frankie smiled at his confusion.

About fifteen minutes later Johnny left his room and saw Amara closing the door of her room.

"Hello again, long time no see," Johnny smiled at her. "Oh, you are wearing your costume… you know, I am actually interested… how is it that you leave the submarine wearing it and when you swim it's not on?"

"There is a special kind of box in the room where I am already in the water so I take it off and put it there, and later I put in on, that's simple."

"So when you were bleeding you still did not forget to put that on?"

"And you wished the opposite?" she raised her eyebrow sarcastically.

"Well…" Johnny scratched his scalp as if he was considering the possibility. "I guess a lot of people would have been pissed if you had forgotten that one…"

"Yeah, your lovebird, for example" the girl snorted.

"Stop calling her that! We're not lovebirds," Johnny frowned at that word.

"It's doubtful after a ten months long relationship," they were heading towards the main lab.

"How would you know that?" the guy was surprised.

"You have short memory for sure," she chuckled. "Read your profile."

"Well it looks more like you've learned it by heart, considering how much you know about me," Johnny chuckled too. "Wait," he noticed that Amara's expression changed a bit, "you did learn it, didn't you?" The guy was smiling widely.

"You wish," Amara was regaining her self-confidence swiftly again. "Hello everyone," they entered the main lab.

"Hey, you ready?" Ben asked her. "What did the doctor say?"

"That I will have to stay in my costume just in case," she looked displeased. "Hate it actually."

"It's for your own good," Sue smiled. "How do you feel?"

"Excited," Amara smiled back. "Let's get to it?"

"Here you go," the same guy that Johnny met recently came to Amara with some devices in his hands.

"Thanks, Jack," she smiled at him. "Ugrh, hate this one, I look hilarious."

Amara put a small camera with a flashlight on her forehead and a communication device on her hand.

"Ready," she finished attaching an earphone. "Let's go?"

"Earphone check, one-two-three, you hear me?" one of the crew members said in the microphone.

"Yeah, I do, it's fine," Amara nodded.

"Okay, the temperature outside is 37.4, the pressure is 15.750 psi", someone informed them.

_Gee, that must be freezing. _

"Amara, be careful, okay?" Reed looked really nervous though he was trying to hide that.

"Always," the girl smirked. "You guys really are impossible! Why would you care… anyway, see you later," she smiled at them all and went towards the door.

"Open up," Max commanded someone quietly.

Amara stepped into the room and the door closed.

"Here she goes," Max murmured to himself about a minute later. The image from Amara's cam was now projected on the big screen in the lab, but there was nothing interesting so far. Actually, Johnny found the view pretty much frightening. Just dark water, transparent and hardly visible, lightened only by the flashlight on Amara's forehead, and it seemed like she has been floating in the darkness.

_Creepy_.

Amara was swimming relatively slow in comparison to how fast she can possibly be, and she was turning her head in every direction to give them a better view. There was almost no sound in the laboratory, only the murmur of the crew members checking the conditions outside and the coordinates of Amara and the estimated coordinates of the substance.

"About two more feet, Aquamarine, and it must be there," one of the crew members said in the microphone about twenty minutes later.

Soon the image on the screen changed, Amara must be rotating her head.

'Nothing unusual,' the message appeared couple of minutes later on one of the monitors.

"Amara, look carefully, it must be there," Reed came up to the microphone not taking his eyes off of the screen.

'No blind, nothing,' came a brief response seconds later.

"Wow, fast typing," Johnny chuckled.

"Yeah, after millions of missions," someone chuckled too.

"According to the estimates the object is right near her, see, the dots coincide," Max was pointing at another monitor.

"Hey, what's that?" Frankie suddenly spoke and came closer to the screen. "Something dark beneath her?"

"Amara, what's under you?" Reed asked into the microphone.

An image instantly showed a dark space which looked like a crack.

"Can you give us a better view?" Reed asked.

Amara swam a bit closer.

'I go there,' a new message came.

"Hey, wait!" Reed stopped her. "No, that's dangerous, come back here, we'll figure something out."

'Carefully.'

And she started to slowly swim through the crack.

"Stubborn," Reed murmured to himself.

About a minute later Amara was inside of what turned out to be a cave, not a big one, but able to fit her. She looked around and then looked down at the bottom of the cave. The flashlight illuminated a dark stone-like thing.

'That?'

Amara swam closer and they saw an image of the rock on the screen.

"Guess it is," Reed replied in a suddenly low voice.

'Ok.'

Amara swam around the rock and started to type something.

Soon a new message appeared on the monitor: 'length 2,5 feet, height 1 feet, width 1,3 feet'

"How does she estimate that?" Johnny was surprised.

"By eye. She's been trained to do that," Ben answered. Then he looked at Johnny's even more surprised face. "She told me herself."

Then Amara swam to the stone and took her hand device off.

"Be careful on this one," Reed warned.

She slowly touched the stone with the device and a second later another message appeared: 'Estimated weight 5.736 kilograms.'

"She can even estimate that?" Johnny's eyes widened.

"No, Smartass, this device on her hand can estimate the density, and according to the length, height and width it calculated the weight. Physics 101, actually," Ben chuckled.

"Okay, Amara, good job. Now come back," Reed said into a microphone. "That thing is too light for something of that size," now Reed was talking to Sue and Ben.

"Well, too light for something from the Earth, you mean," Susan nodded.

"Sue, Ben, we need to go to the lab," Reed turned to Ben. "Johnny, you stay here and help Amara if necessary."

"Sure," Johnny nodded, smiling to himself.

"Who'd doubt," Max snorted.

"Excuse me?" Johnny turned to him. "You have a problem?"

"Not anymore. Guess _my_ problem has now turned to _you_."

"Anything wrong?" Reed frowned.

"No, everything's fine," Max answered and turned away.

"Good, because we don't have time. Sue, Ben," Reed turned towards the entrance.

Fifteen minutes later the doors open and Amara stepped in.

"Good job," Johnny smiled widely.

"That's nothing," she smiled back and took al devices off.

"Are you tired?"

"No, why would I be? Where's Reed?"

"In his lab, wanna go there?"

"Yeah, let's get this over with and go home, tired of this place," the girl rolled her eyes.

"Good idea, Aquamarine. Go to the lab," Frankie interfered.

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am," Amara gave her a face and headed towards the passage.

"Hey, wait for me," Johnny followed her. "Why you never wait for anyone when you leave the room?"

"Not everyone, that's just to give you and her some room," she snorted.

"Hey, stop with that already, huh?" Johnny couldn't help himself. "There is noting between me and Frankie."

"Why would I care?"

"Well it looks like you do."

"I don't," Amara repeated stubbornly.

"Then you are you always flipping out when Frankie's around?" the guy raised one eyebrow sarcastically.

"Let's say I don't like her in person."

"Emotion again, huh?"

"Stop with that already!"

"Okay, let's make a deal," Johnny stopped making Amara stop too. "I don't make hints about your emotions and stuff and you don't say anything about me and Frankie. And you don't even think of saying that because there's nothing between me and her."

"Why would you care about what I say or think?" she looked straight into his eyes.

"Just… just don't want any misunderstandings between us since we're teammates."

"Don't worry, that's not for long."

Johnny couldn't understand her expression. Then it snapped.

"Hey, what d'you mean 'not for long'?"

"Well, this mission is almost over, right? So there's no need for me to stay in Baxter after we come back."

"W-wait, so you'll just leave?" Johnny couldn't believe it.

"Yeah, just go home," she shrugged her shoulders.

"But… I thought you'll join Fantastic Four…"

"Join Fantastic Four?" she chuckled. "And what, call it Fantastic Five?"

"Well, yes…"

"No, thank you very much."

"But why? I mean, we help people…"

"Good for you. Keep on," she replied indefinitely.

"Don't you want to…"

"What? Be a superhero? Make the world better?"

"Well, sort of…" Johnny shrugged his shoulders too.

"That's not what I was designed for."

"Stop saying that!"

"There you are," both of them winced at Ben's voice. "Where've you been? Ah, whatever. We need to hurry up if we want to finish this today."

"Yeah, let's go," Amara nodded and headed towards the lab not looking at Johnny anymore.

"So, guys," Reed started when they all were in the lab. "We need to extract this substance, and for that we will be using a plastic bag."

"Pardon me?" it was Amara. "A what?"

"Yes, a plastic bag of a certain appropriate size. You will put it in the bag with water and bring it here. Then we will put it into this container," he pointed at a big container made of some transparent material, "There is a vacuum in here, so the substance will be in vacuum. What d'you say?"

"Transporting the most dangerous bomb ever in a plastic bag, wow," Amara shook her head sarcastically. "But as long as that's safe and fast, I'm in. Not that I have much choice anyway. When do we start?"

"In an hour, I guess. You need some rest," Reed replied.

"I'm not tired, let's do this now?"

"No, Amara, you have to relax for at least an hour."

The girl rolled her eyes. "We're just wasting time."

"Reed, she's right," Sue interfered. "We have to end this stress we're in."

"Okay then," Reed answered after couple of seconds. "See you in the main lab in ten minutes."

"Cool," Amara smiled and left the room.

"Reed, are you _sure_ that's safe?" Johnny asked carefully. "I mean, a bomb and a plastic bag?"

"The main thing is too keep that rock away from air. Any mean is good for it," Reed sighed.

"You don't seem confident."

"I'm just tired, Johnny. We better go to the lab."

Ten minutes later they all gathered in the main lab, Amara was already there putting her devices on again.

"Will you be able to bring that bag here by yourself?" Reed asked her.

"Yeah, sure," the girl nodded. "Checked the microphone?" she asked lowder.

"Yes, everything's okay," someone answered.

"Okay, let's make it fast," Amara snorted.

When she left the room all eyes were on the screen again. Amara reached the cave faster than she did for the first time and when she swam towards the stone everyone in the room took a deep breath and stopped moving not taking their eyes off of the screen.

Amara carefully lifted the stone with one hand without any noticeable efforts and put it into the bag. As soon as she did this there was a sigh of relief in the lab.

Amara slowly swam through the crack with a bag in her hands and everyone in the room tensed themselves again. The crack was wide just enough to let Amara and the stone through, so soon she was out.

Twenty minutes later Amara was already near the submarine.

"Okay, everyone, be ready," Reed inhaled nervously. "As soon as she enters, Ben, you take the bag from her."

"Got it, Reed, don't worry," Ben nodded.

After a minute Amara entered the room.

"Great job, Kiddo, I'll take it from here," Ben carefully took the bag from her. "Hey, that's a light one."

"Careful, Ben, very-very careful," Sue almost whispered.

"Got it, got it."

Ben was heading towards the lab escorted by Sue, Reed and other crew members.

When they left the room everyone who stayed exhaled involuntarily.

"You okay?" Johnny came to Amara.

"Yeah," she smiled lightly. "Good that I can't feel stress. Otherwise I would faint," she chuckled. "Do we have to go to the lab now?"

"Have no idea actually. Guess we better check if Reed needs us."

"Dr. Richards asked you to be in the smaller laboratory in fifteen minutes. He has locked the lab by now," one of the younger crew members came to them.

"Oh, thanks, Rob" Amara smiled to him. "I better go get changed, sick of this costume."

About ten minutes later Johnny left his room where he spent last ten minutes and saw Max walking through the passage in front of him.

"Hey, dude, I got a question for you…" Johnny started but Max probably didn't hear him because he went on walking.

"Hey…"

Johnny was following Max without being noticed and soon he wasn't sure he can find his way back to the room or the lab, because he had no idea where they are. Max turned left into a smaller passage and out of sight. When Johnny turned there too he didn't see Max. But there were also no doors in there, it was a blind passage.

_That's weird, actually. Where the hell is he?_

"Johnny, you are already here?" he heard Sue's voice and turned around.

"How did you get there? I thought I was lost," Johnny frowned.

"Lost? That's just another way to our lab," Susan shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh…"

"Oh, there you are," Reed and Ben joined them. "Where's Amara?"

"I'm here," she came by. "Let's go there? See what's with this thing."

"Okay," Reed took a deep breath.

"Hey, chillax," Amara snorted. "Open up."

Johnny was the last one to enter the room and he saw a container in the middle of it. The rock was inside. It looked like an average stone.

"So many efforts for this thing," Sue murmured.

"That's way too easy," Johnny shook his head.

"You mean?" Amara frowned.

"Well, Victor did not crawl out of somewhere, I don't know…"

"Considering sharks I wouldn't call it 'easy'," Sue replied. "Let's not talk about it."

"Yeah, I'm actually okay with it," Ben added.

Johnny snorted and turned to one of the monitors, that was showing something he didn't understand. Sue and Reed were discussing something quietly and Amara sat down into one of the chairs in the corner of the room and closed her eyes.

"Eh… guys…" they heard Ben's voice.

"What, Rocky?" Johnny didn't look at him.

"It's moving."

"What?" Amara opened her eyes.

"Moving?" Reed rushed towards the container. Everyone else did the same.

The thing was not actually moving, but pulsating and that looked frightening.

"Reed," Sue whispered. "What's that?" she sounded scared.

"Um," Reed pulled out his mini-computer and started to type something fast. "I have no idea."

"Reed, that's not the right time to not know something for the first time in your life," Johnny tried to keep his voice down.

"It's getting faster," Ben informed them.

"Reed, do something!" Sue yelled.

"I can't!"

The pulsation was getting faster and faster.

"Stand back!" Amara shouted. The pulsation suddenly stopped and the container burst. The pieces of it flew to all sides of the room.

Sue and Reed simultaneously reached for the rock, Sue tried to put a force field around it and Reed tried to wrap it with his hand. But as they did it at a time, they just impeded each other and the force field collapsed.

The substance went in contact with air.

Johnny covered his head with his arms anticipating the explosion though he understood there was no use doing that. Surprisingly he thought of Amara.

_Is that what Ben told me about how he wished to spend his last minutes?_

But there was no explosion.

"Um, guys…" Johnny said carefully. "Are we already dead?"

"I would like to know that pretty much myself," he heard Amara's voice.

Slowly they all stood up.

"What was that?" Sue whispered.

Reed came closer to the rock, took a deep breath and carefully and swiftly touched it.

"It looks absolutely stable and it's cold," he said.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Amara frowned. "Webby's mistaken and that's not a bomb?"

"Looks like it," Reed shrugged his shoulders.

"Wow," the girl snorted. "He'll be pissed."

"So we went here just for nothing?" Johnny chuckled.

"Well, I wouldn't be that sure," Reed shook his head. "This substance has a very interesting origin for sure, we just need to survey it."

There was a silence for a while.

"Okay, one thing's good, we're heading home," said Amara. "And I personally am gonna play Scarlett and think about it tomorrow. See you guys later, I'm outta here."

"Okay, I'm officially LOLing," Johnny snorted.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry it took me forever to update=(( been busy with exams and they are still not over yet.**

"Hey, Sue, do we have anything to eat?" Johnny entered the kitchen where his sister was cooking something that smelled absolutely mouthwatering.

"Yes, in couple of minutes," Sue smiled and checked her watches. "Have you seen Ben? He must be hungry too, we need to call him."

"No way! Not until I eat my part because you need tons of food to feed rocky and I don't wanna sacrifice my dinner to him."

Sue snorted.

"And where's Reed?" the guy asked.

"In the lab, where else," Susan gave out a small laugh.

"Hey, I thought you're already over that problem."

"I am, really. But you know it's not easy to find something to do in a submarine, I'm just really bored."

"You can say that again," Johnny chuckled.

"I hate that person!" Amara suddenly stormed in the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. She looked furious.

"What's wrong?" Sue asked and opened the oven. The smell of backed fish instantly filled the space.

"Sue, you are the bestest sister in the world," Johnny inhaled it and pleasure was all over his face. "And what's wrong with you?" he turned his head to Amara. "Why are you in that costume?"

"I hate Max!" Amara answered. That was not very informative but very emotional.

"Well, that makes two of us," Johnny snorted.

"Are you hungry, Amara?" Sue interfered while she was putting fish on the plates.

"What? Oh, no, thanks. Don't like fish actually," she frowned a bit.

"Fish solidarity?" Johnny chuckled.

"Shut up you," Amara chuckled too and sat down beside Sue. "That idiot wouldn't let me swim!"

"You mean Max?"

"Yes, him. I wanted to swim a bit but he said we don't have time for that. As if I asked him to stop the submarine!" She took another sip of water.

"You mean, you would be able to keep up with the speed of the submarine?" Sue's eyes widened.

"Well, not full speed, and not for that long… an hour or so," Amara shrugged her shoulders. "And he wouldn't even want to do _that_!"

"Hey, chillax! We'll be home by tomorrow evening and you'll swim there as much as you want. I miss flying, actually, so can't wait for that too."

"Well you can fly everywhere and I will get to swim in a chlorine pool," she made a face.

"How cruel do you guys have to be to have a dinner without me?" that was Ben. He entered the room and looked down at them with an expression of a deeply hurt human. "It must be your idea, Matchhead."

"Come on, Ben, sit down, we've got plenty for everyone," Sue smiled and stood up to get him his portion. "Oh, hey Reed, join us?" she noticed her husband entering the room after Ben.

"Yes, thank you, sweet," he smiled a bit tired.

"So, how's it going with that rock?" Sue asked Reed after they all sat down.

"The opportunities of this lab are limited, I need to survey this thing in the lab in Baxter," Reed started eating.

"I doubt you'll get to do that," Amara chuckled.

"Why?" Reed looked at her.

"I haven't seen your contract but according to what I know of Debby he will never let any civil scientist interfere in his business. He used your team for extracting and shipping and that's it, your job is done."

"Contract?" Johhny raised his eyebrows.

"We had a contract?" Ben looked at Reed surprised.

"Well, I've signed up some papers, but I didn't know…"

"Well those papers _were_ your contract," Amara smiled sarcastically. "Webby knew whom to give that contract to. Reed must've signed it up on behalf of the whole Fantastic Four Inc."

"Um, did you read that?" Sue asked her husband carefully.

"Well, I looked it through…" Reed was confused.

"That's so Webby," Amara snorted. "Do you have it now? That contract?"

"Yes, I took it in case. It's in the lab."

"If you want to I can read it to find out if we can do anything about it," Amara shrugged her shoulders.

"Did you major in law?" Johnny looked at her with curiosity. "'sides, how old are you? Did you study somewhere? I mean we don't know anything…"

"You don't need to," Amara interrupted him. "I'm legal, if that's what you want to know," she looked at Johnny. "And let's just say I majored in Webby."

"Let's go right now," Reed stood up.

"Reed, your dinner?" Sue looked at him.

"It was delicious, sweet, but I'm already full," Reed smiled quickly. "Amara?"

"Yup, let's go," she stood up too.

"I'm coming with you guys. Thanks, sis, that was great."

"Johnny, why would they need you there?" Ben looked at the younger man.

"I'm just bored, Rocky, I would use any change of activity."

"Oh, you mean you would use any _activity,_ because I haven't noticed you doing anything useful so far," Ben snorted.

"Chew thoroughly, Rocky, that's good for stomach," Johnny replied and left the room.

When he entered the lab Amara and Reed were already there and Amara was reading papers standing leaning against the wall. Reed was busy with his portable computer while Johnny yet again couldn't find himself anything to do and was just wandering around the lab observing tools and beeping monitors.

"Nothing," Amara said finally.

"You mean?" Reed turned to her.

"There is no way for you to keep that substance for yourself," the girl shook her head. "It is said here that you have to give this substance to Webby in San-Francisco, right after we get out of the submarine."

"So there is nothing we can do? I mean, what if this substance was dangerous?" Reed crossed his arms.

Amara checked the contract. "Well in this case you have to give at least one firm proof of that and… oh, wait, even in this case you just have to inform Webby about it and they will treat it with bigger precaution."

"Will they survey it?"

"I doubt it. If that's not a bomb they'll just put it into a depository and forget about it."

"But what if this thing hides some mysteries that may bring the science farther?"

"Reed, calm down, that's not me you have to convince," Amara raised her hands. "Look, d'you really need that thing?"

"Yes, it's origin is really…"

"Okay, then you'll have it," Amara interrupted him and put the contract down on the table.

"Huh?" Johnny frowned. "As I understood, you yourself said that there is no way to do that."

"According to that contract yes, but there are other ways," Amara shrugged her shoulders and grinned mischievously.

"Like for example?" Johnny crossed his arms and looked at her with interest.

"Well, that depends on what they'll have for us when we arrive. Anyway, we'll see about it tomorrow on the base. Reed, do you need me?"

"Now? Oh, no, no… but look, won't that be dangerous?" Reed frowned.

"Dangerous?" Amara put on an innocent face. "How could you think I can be a threat? I mean, look at me…I'm so weak… I can't fly and throw fire everywhere, I can't break walls, I can't put a force field…"

"Okay, okay," Reed hid a smile.

"So if we're done here I better go," Amara's expression was back to her normal. She smiled lightly to both of them and left.

"What do you think is on her mind?" Reed asked Johnny a minute later.

"Have no idea but I'm sure that's something hot," Johnny replied with a smirk.

"Johnny!"

"What? I didn't say _she's _hot, I said her idea is hot. Not that she isn't hot though…"

"Oh, drop it," Reed frowned at him. "I have told you to stay away from her, haven't I?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure… look, Reed, I wanted to ask you… where will Amara go after we get back to New York?"

"Pardon me?"

"Well, she told me recently she will go back to where she was living before she moved into Baxter, because the mission is over and…"

"Oh…" Reed frowned. He was considering something. "But I need her to be there to… never mind…"

"You need her for what?"

"Never mind, Johnny," Reed repeated. "Did she say she didn't want to go back to Baxter?"

"Well she said she didn't see the point."

Reed was silent for about a minute.

"Look," he said finally. "I will talk to her and take care of that. I will try to persuade her to stay in Baxter…"

"Yes!" Johnny exclaimed.

"But you stay away from her," he repeated again. "Johnny, this is serious."

"Why? What the hell is wrong with her?"

"Johnny, just do as I said."

"Uh-huh," the younger guy murmured. "Okay, I'm going… well… somewhere, see you."

"See you," Reed replied indefinitely and shook his head.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Next day at about 4 pm everyone has already finished packing and at 5 pm even Max entered the smaller lab where all members of the Fantastic Four and Amara were waiting and said that the submarine has successfully moored to the

San-Francisco navy base.

"Yay! Thanks, dude, you've been very supportive throughout the whole trip," Johnny patted Max's shoulder.

"Nice to know," Max answered coldly. "Good bye everyone," he left the room.

"You know, he could use some manners," Johnny told Amara as they were heading towards the entrance with their bags. Ben was carrying the container with the rock as well.

"And how is that my problem?"

"Good to know that," Johnny chuckled. Amara looked at him with surprise but then chuckled too.

When they stepped out of the submarine no one was to be seen. Amara frowned a bit.

"I don't like it," she said quietly.

"What?" Johnny turned to her.

She looked at him but didn't answer. She was still frowning.

"This way, please," a man in a military uniform suddenly appeared and showed them the way to one of the plains.

"There you go, some company, just like you wanted," Johnny told Amara.

She didn't respond.

"Um, Amara, I though you said that major will be here already?" Reed sounded confused.

Amara just shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.

Sue was the first one to climb up the ladder leading to the plain, Ben was the last one.

Suddenly Sue stopped.

"Um, guys, is that supposed to be so?" she said quietly. They all looked up and saw two armed people in military uniform in the entrance of the plane.

"I guess here it is," Amara murmured.

"Guys, there are more," Ben said in a low voice.

When they looked at the coast they saw about ten people. They were also armed and wore bulletproof vests. Major was there too with Frankie beside him.

"Well, hello Dr. Richards, long time no see," Major was smiling as if this situation was the best he's ever found himself in.

"Hello, Major Woods," Reed answered, trying to keep his voice calm. He was noticeably nervous. "What made you give us such a … eh… warm welcome?"

"There are cameras in that lab on Hydra, where you have been working, Richards. I hope you didn't think I would trust a civil scientist, or, should I say, a celebrity superhero?" Major's voce lost all his fake gladness.

"Oh shit," Amara snapped quietly. "I should have known."

"So if you saw all that happened there, you must now be aware that this substance that we have extracted is not what you thought it is," Reed continued. "So it is not interesting to you."

"Why? I remember you said that this substance has a lot of secrets that are still to be revealed. Do you think that we would let _you_ do that?"

"So you say that you will survey it?"

"What we will do is none of your business, Richards," Woods snapped. "Give us that container. Yes, and one more thing… Aquamarine, I believe you are on the wrong side. Maybe you should come here?"

"Tell them to put their guns down," Amara replied.

"Oh, come on, it's not like we will shoot. Unless you refuse to give us that container, of course" Woods smirked.

"Oh, it's not like we are afraid of bullets, Major, we have Sue and Ben," Amara snorted.

"Oh, using first names already?" Major raised one eyebrow. "And don't worry, I have thought about it too. Do you think Mrs. Richards and Mr. Grimm will be able to save you all if the plane explodes?"

"Explodes?"

"According to your faces, they won't," Woods nodded looking pleased. "Yes, we have placed a cute little bomb inside which will be just enough to blow up this plane and people near it. Except for ourselves."

"And these two?" Sue pointed at two troops on the plane.

"Well, being a soldier is always dangerous, Mrs. Richards."

"You _moron_!" Amara shouted.

"Watch yourself, Aquamarine," Major snapped. "Remember who you are and most importantly who _made_ you who you are."

Johnny looked at Amara. She didn't say anything and was breathing heavily.

"So, Dr. Richards, what will you say?" Woods's tone was polite again.

"Major, I assure you that we mean no harm and will inform you as soon as we find out anything interesting," Reed was trying to convince him.

"Richards, stop haggling. Give me the container or I will blow you and that thing up."

"You're bluffing. This thing is too important for you," Amara said.

"Well it is better to get rid if it, then, than let someone else get it."

"Johnny," Amara suddenly whispered to the guy who was standing higher on the stairs than her. "Make those guys up there shut up."

"What?" Johnny frowned misunderstanding.

"I will do a _certain thing_ now and you make those guys not say anything to Webby," she whispered again.

"O-kay… and what is that _certain thing?_"

Amara smiled mischievously and turned around again towards Woods. Johnny noticed that she started to bend her arms slowly. He looked at the troops before them and his eyes widened. A wave was growing from the ocean beside them but they weren't noticing.

"Amara," Sue whispered in shock.

"Johnny," Amara hissed.

"Oh," he turned towards the troops on the plane who were in shock as well and lit small flames from his index fingers. "Remain silent, deal?"

They both nodded still in shock.

"Good," Johnny made a pleased face and turned away.

"Um, Major, how about you do as we want?" Amara shouted. Her elbows were now bent and the wave was already about ten feet high. "Or do you prefer swimming?"

Woods slowly turned his head around and after a second looked back at Amara.

"Aquamarine!" he shouted. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Being who I am, and thank _you_ for making me who I am," the girl shouted back. "So that's the thing, we take this container, you remove the bomb from the plane and we fly to New York. Oh, besides, I am going with them to Baxter. Are we clear?"

"And how about I order them to shoot?"

"Well, go ahead, but before a bullet reaches me tons of water will crush on you. Deal?"

"Aquamarine, you are a property of the U.S. Navy, so I command you…" Major started.

"And you will soon be a property of the Pacific Ocean if you don't shut up. I'm being serious, Woods, I have nothing to lose and you know that."

"And what about your _friends_, huh?" Woods crossed his arms.

Amara didn't answer.

"Don't worry for us, we're superheroes, we'll survive," Johnny shouted.

Woods kept silence for a minute.

"Let them go," he commanded finally. "Take the bomb off of the plane and tell the pilots to start engines."

"Thank you, Major," Reed smiled victoriously. "We will still inform you if there is anything interesting to you about this substance."

"I will appreciate that," Major replied coolly. "Aquamarine, let me remind you that you will still have to pay a visit to me in New York," he looked back at the water behind him that was now slowly going down. "It's good to know you have been practicing."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Amara smiled with a corner of her eye and nodded a bit. The ocean was now calm.

"That is what you have been designed for anyway," Woods finished. "Don't forget that."

"I have good memory," Amara said through her teeth. "See you later, Woods."

She turned towards the entrance and soon they all followed Sue into the plane.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Home sweet home!" Johnny exclaimed when they finally entered their apartment.

"Foe once, Flameboy, I agree," Ben chuckled and flopped on the couch that almost jumped. "It's good to be home."

"That submarine sucked… sorry, Amara."

"I think so too actually," the girl snorted. "The only good thing there is ocean."

"I am going upstairs, see you guys later," Johnny took his bag and headed towards the stairs.

"Amara, you can go leave your bags and I will need you in the lab in half an hour," he heard Reed's voice when he was already climbing up.

"Me? Why?"

"Well, there is a certain thing…"

"Another test?"

"Sort of…"

What came later Johnny didn't hear because he entered his room, threw a bag on the floor and flopped onto his bed. His eyes closed and he almost fell asleep.

"Johnny? What the…?" he heard Amara's voice and opened his eyes.

"Um… is that your room?" she looked confused.

"Actually yes, yours is the next one," the guy smiled. "But you are more than welcome. You can stay here if you want, I won't mind."

"Yeah, sure," Amara rolled her eyes. "Keep dreaming."

"Who knows…"

"I will never enter your room as long as I'm sane," she turned around and went out.

Johnny smirked to himself and stood up.

About five hours later when all inhabitants of the Baxter felt like they have never left their home Johnny has already taken a shower and was feeling sleepy.

_Shit, I sleep way too much lately._

He was about to go to bed when he heard someone knocking on his door. He opened up.

"Amara? Wow, you said you will never… hey, what happened?" he noticed that the girl's eyes were red as if she has been crying. "Amara?"

She didn't say anything just sobbed. And suddenly she rushed to him and Johnny understood she was hugging him and her face was pinned against his chest. She was shaking with tears. He closed the door and hugged her too, not understanding what was going on.

**Okay, this chapter sucks, I know. Didn't like it myself. But there will be more Johnny and Amara in the next one. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay, people, I'm officially sorry for keeping you waiting for that long. But let's say that was because you don't review, so I don't have any motivation to w****rite faster. And thanks to Nelle07 for reviewing and being an attentive reader. And I'm REALLY sorry for keeping **_**you**_** waiting, you didn't deserve that. **

About five hours later when all inhabitants of the Baxter felt like they have never left their home Johnny has already taken a shower and was feeling sleepy.

_Shit, I sleep way too much lately._

He was about to go to bed when he heard someone knocking on his door. He opened up.

"Amara? Wow, you said you will never… hey, what happened?" he noticed that the girl's eyes were red as if she has been crying. "Amara?"

She didn't say anything just sobbed. And suddenly she rushed to him and Johnny understood she was hugging him and her face was pinned against his chest. She was shaking with tears. He closed the door and hugged her too, not understanding what was going on.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked gently.

Amara let out another sob and began to cry so hard that Johnny felt really scared. He has never seen Amara being anything but sarcastic and punchy and now she was crying on his shoulder like someone has died.

_Why the hell is no one aroun__d? Don't they hear her? Oh, the walls are sound-proof. This is the first time I regret it. _

"Am-amara, calm down, please," he was awkwardly patting her head, her arms. "Please, don't cry," he was pleading.

Johnny cupped her face and almost forced her to look at him, Amara was struggling hard to keep her face against his chest. The girl's face was red as were her eyes, her breathing was uneven.

"Tell me what happened?" Johnny demanded.

She opened her mouth to say something, but only a whimper escaped her throat and Amara started to sob again.

"What? Max? Major?" Johnny was in despair. "Tell me who offended you and I swear I'll go roast them, just don't cry," he hugged her again and started to move slowly towards the bed. Amara was moving along. "Look, why won't you just lie down here while I will bring you something… maybe water?" he asked awkwardly. "You love water, don't you? Here, lie down, carefully," he was murmuring hoarsely not knowing what to say next. "Comfortable?"

Amara lay down on his bed and curled into a fetus position still crying.

"Just stay here, okay? I'll be back soon I promise," Johnny looked at her face but she didn't seem to care whether he is there or not. Her eyes were tightly shut, she was shaking with tears.

Johnny ran out of the room and in what seemed like ages to him (though that was seconds) he came back grabbing a small bottle of water. Amara was still curled on his bed, her shoulders shaking but he couldn't hear loud whimpers. When Johnny came closer and looked at her face he saw her sobbing quietly as if she was suffocating, her eyebrows were knitted.

"Hey, hey, calm down, breathe," he put a hand on her cheek and started to pat it with his thumb. Her face immediately relaxed. Delighted, Johnny kept on until a small smile appeared on Amara's face, but here eyes remained closed. The guy smiled too.

"See, it's okay, everything's okay," he muttered.

Her smile was widening until she let out a small chuckle. Johnny frowned, misunderstanding. Amara was now laughing on and on and her laugh was getting louder. She rolled on her back and her body was now convulsing with guffaw.

"Amara!" Johnny's eyes widened. "Amara, stop!"

But she was still laughing hysterically, rolling from one side of the bed to another.

"Stop it!" Johnny threw the bottle on the floor behind him and bent over Amara, trying to pin her to one place using both hands. He succeeded but she was still laughing and her body was still convulsing.

"Amara, please, calm down!" he was yelling. "Open your eyes! Amara!"

Johnny lifted Amara's shoulders and started to shake her trying not to do her any harm. She was sobbing with laughter which seemed just to grow higher.

"Aquamarine, open your eyes!" Johnny shouted.

Suddenly she stopped laughing and did as he said. At the very moment she opened her eyes Johnny heard a loud 'bang' from behind him and felt that the back of his shirt was soaking.

"Shit, Amara! That bottle!" Johnny shouted and unclasped his hands caught by surprise. Amara's higher part fell down on the bed.

"Oh, gee, sorry! Sorry, sorry," he bent over her to see if she was hurt. She was okay, though, and here eyes were still open but now they were slowly filling with tears.

"No-no-no-no, shh, chill, s'okay, okay…" he started to mutter and then suddenly felt that the back of his shirt was getting colder and colder. No, it was not just cold, it was freezing, as if there was ice all over it. He tried to move his back muscles.

"Ouch-ou-ou… stop it, Amara, please," the feeling of his skin slowly turning into ice was less than pleasant. Seeing that it doesn't stop he swiftly stood up and took off his shirt. In some places the fabric was so frozen that Johnny felt pain when he was tearing it off of his skin. Finally he managed to do this and threw the shirt on the floor. Turned out he did the right thing, because the process continued and soon the fabrics just cracked broken.

"Wow," Johnny only managed to say. "And _you_ said you aren't dangerous…" he turned his head towards the girl and his expression changed. She was now sitting at the bedside hugging her knees and tears were streaming slowly down her face. She was quiet.

He rushed towards her and sat down on the bed, feeling awkward and not knowing what to do. Suddenly she rose her head, looked at him and then her arms was around him. Johnny frowned a bit as her finders touched his back, _I must have injures from that ice, it hurts, _but a second later he hugged the girl too. Amara's face was against his neck and he felt a light touch of her eyelashes as she closed her eyes. He smiled lightly.

They were sitting like that for some time but then he felt that her eyelashes brushed his neck again, like her eyes opened. Then she let out a quiet feral snarl and Johnny gasped. He felt her fingernails stuck into his back.

"Amara, don't," he whispered.

But her nails slid down his back and then she pushed herself away from him. The girl looked in Johnny's eyes again, only this way her stare was angry, and hit him oh his chest. Johnny gasped again but somehow this time he knew what to do. His hands were still around Amara and he pulled her to him as hard as he could. For some time she kept on scratching and hitting him but he didn't let out a noise and then she became flabby. Seconds later Johnny felt her calm breath against his throat.

_Finally. _

He carefully looked at her face, it was relaxed. He wanted to lay her down but as he tried to pull her away from him she squeezed him stronger, this time with her hands only, not nails.

_Gee, hope this mad mermaid is _truly_ asleep. The last thing I need is to be boiled alive. _

He lay down beside her and Amara cuddled up to him and put her head on his chest. Johnny frowned a bit, expecting another portion of pain, but it didn't come. Seconds later he smiled a bit and started to pat the girl's shoulder. Her hair smelled peppermint and something sweet.

_Well, maybe it's not that bad... after all. Maybe she is a fighting type. __She definitely is a screamer, not a moaner. And what the hell happened to her today? Maybe she was drunk? And what did Reed say about her being able to feel only the strongest emotions? Looks like tons of something happened to her today. Weird. _

Johnny smiled at the feeling of her breath on his bare chest.

_Is that what Ben was saying? About the end of the world? Well, considering I have just survived in something damn close to the end of the world, hugging Amara feels good. _

His smile widened and he slowly drifted into a sleep.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Johnny? Johnny, what the…"

The guy opened his eyes and found Amara on her elbow near him, looking at him, her eyes wide. She looked pale, small bags were under her eyes, and her hair looked messy.

"What the hell? Why are you naked? Let go of me!"

Johnny's mouth was too dry to say something so he just did as she said. Amara immediately got off the bed and jumped on her feet.

"What the _hell_ are you doing in my room?" she crossed her arms.

"What?" Johnny exclaimed. "That's _my_ room!"

"Aha, sure," the girl snorted.

"Look around."

Amara did and Johnny chuckled at the puzzled expression on her face. The girl caught her reflection in a big mirror and slowly came up to it.

"What's that?" she whispered in shock.

"A mirror?" now Johnny was puzzled too.

"No, that," she gulped. "Is that _me_?"

"Um, yes."

"What's wrong with my face?" she almost shouted.

"Your face? Well, you girls actually look like that every time after you cried."

"Is that forever?" Amara turned to him, her eyes wide with horror.

"What?" Johnny couldn't help chuckling again. "No, of course not. Wash your face with cold water, that should help."

He chuckled again as Amara almost ran into the bathroom.

Johnny yawned, rubbed his eyes and looked at his watches. 7.56 am.

Amara was soon back, her face now looked pink.

"How come I look like I have been crying if I _never_ cry?" she asked.

"Oh, you should have told me yesterday when you were all hysterical. Don't you remember?"

"What? I am _never_ hysterical!"

"Tell me about it," the guy snorted.

The girl bit her lower lip.

"Um… so I have spent the night here? Seriously? And… you are naked because…"

"I'm not _naked_, I am _topless,_" Johnny rolled his eyes and then pointed at the remains of his T-shirt on the floor.

"Uh… what's that?" the girl frowned. "Some remains of Ice Age?"

"That's my shirt!" Johnny exclaimed and got off the bed to face her. "Are you mental? Do you remember anything?"

"Did _I_ do that?" Amara's eyes widened.

"Well if you find someone else in this building able to freeze things in seconds, then please let me know."

"Okay, then how did you drag me into your room?"

"Pardon me?" Johnny's eyebrows went up. "I didn't _drag_ you, you came yourself."

"Yeah, sure."

"You don't believe me?"

"Of course I don't!" the girl snapped. "You are telling me that I was crying and hysterical, that I came into your room, that I froze your shirt till it's cracked, though I don't remember a _thing_ of what you say, and you think I'll believe you?"

"Are you mental? I'm telling the truth!"

"Yeah, sure," she repeated. "You are a womanizer Johnny! That could easily be some plan of yours!"

Johnny observed her for a minute, breathing heavily. He didn't remember himself being that furious before.

"You know what, you could get some manners too, along with your sweet navy boyfriend," he snapped and then turned towards the door.

"What's that on your back?" he heard Amara say in a different tone. He didn't respond and started moving towards the exit. " Johnny, wait, what's that?" she repeated now louder.

"That," the guy turned to her, "is what happened when I was trying to take off a shirt that you were freakin' freezing right on me. And those scratches were left minutes later, when you went wild."

"Did I really do that?" Amara asked quietly.

"Think what you want," Johnny shook his head and turned away again.

"Johnny, wait," he heard Amara's hasty steps behind him. "Johnny," she touched his arm, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."

"Oh, really?" the guy looked at her.

"I mean I mean it when I say I … um… never cry and stuff," Amara was speaking nervously. "But… um… I didn't mean to offend you, really. It's just… and I didn't mean to hurt you and… those injuries… they're… I didn't want it, honestly. I'm sorry, I-I really am. I just…does it hurt?"

Johnny let out a small laugh.

"Chillax, I have been through worse."

"I'm sorry," she repeated looking straight into his eyes.

_Damn, those eyes turn me into noodles._

"Do you really remember _nothing_?"Johnny asked later, just to stop other stupid phrases from escaping his mouth.

Amara shook her head and looked away. "I remember that shit Webby did, remember what I did to him… how we arrived here, how I left my bag in my room…"

"And before that you bumped into my room," Johnny added.

"Yeah, that I remember too," she gave out a small laugh. "Then I came to Reed, I mean, in the lab, and he injected something in my vein…"

"What?"

"Um… don't know, he said something about the tests… and I was too tired to ask. Then I went to my room and… um… I felt dizzy," Amara looked at Johnny and shrugged her shoulders. "Guess that's pretty much it. I don't remember anything after that."

"O-kay," Johnny ran a hand through his hair. "Then we should ask Reed what was that thing he injected."

"You think that was it?" the girl frowned.

"Well, unless you got drunk after that…"

"I _never_…"Amara started but then she met Johnny's gaze and preferred to shut up. "Okay, fine, let's go. Is he in the lab already?"

"I suppose so."

"Um… actually I could go alone…" she gave Johnny a pleading face.

"No way! I wanna know what happened to you yesterday and why I was the one to suffer," the guy snorted. "I won't even put a shirt on."

Amara didn't answer but Johnny heard a quiet 'Matchhead' coming from her.

Reed was in the lab.

"Hey," Amara entered the lab first.

"Oh, hey!" the scientist smiled to her. "How you been doing? Had a good night?"

Johnny snorted at these words.

"I mean, any side effects?" Reed continued not paying attention to Johnny.

"Were there supposed to be any?" Amara asked carefully.

"Well, there might've been some," Reed shrugged and looked at Johnny, surprised. "Why are you naked?"

"Reed, what did you do to me yesterday?" the girl asked quietly. "What was that injection?"

"That was supposed to unleash your emotions and feelings," Reed started but Amara interrupted him.

"Unleash my emotions?" her eyes widened with anger. "What? Wh-are you mental? What were you thinking, Reed? Look," the girl pointed at Johnny who demonstratively turned his back or Reed.

"Jesus," Reed gasped. "What's that?"

"That," Amara gulped, "are my emotions in action. What were you thinking?" she repeated.

"Johnny, you need medical treatment," the scientist pulled out a first-aid kit. "Come here. What happened?"

"Amara came into my room around midnight crying and later she went hysterical, OUCH!" Johnny exclaimed as Reed spread something over one of his wounds.

"And how did you manage to hurt him?" Reed looked at the girl.

"I don't know. I don't remember anything after that shot."

"Seriously? Johnny, be still."

"Reed, can you undo this?" Amara asked quietly but very clear.

"What?" Reed turned to her, frowning. "Undo?"

"Yes. I didn't want this, why did you even have to _do_ this in the first place?" she was flying into a rage once again, her breath was uneven.

"Amara, how can you say so?" Reed was amused. "Feelings and emotions are important, without them…"

"I don't need them!" the girl yelled. "I don't want to feel anything!"

"Why?" Johnny shrugged. "Feelings are a good thing…"

"No, they are not! I don't need them, I don't want them!" Amara's face was getting red as she was shouting. "This is the worst thing that you could have done to me, Reed!" she was panting.

"Amara, look…" Reed started.

"No, you will never understand," tears appeared on the girl's face. "Feeling sucks! My Mother…orphanage… freak…" she was muttering swiftly, tears streaming down her face, she was panting.

Johnny frowned. Mother? Orphanage? What was that supposed to mean?

"Johnny, out!" Reed rushed towards Amara who was still muttering something under her breath.

"What? But my back…?"

"Take the kit and find Sue, she'll take care of that. Now out I said!" Johnny has never seen Reed like that before.

"But…"

"OUT!"

_Gee__, who could have thought Reed owns _that_ type of voice. _

When he left the lab he heard a 'click'. The doors were locked.

_Reed never _locks_ the lab when h__е__'s in there._

Not knowing even what to think Johnny headed towards the living room holding thе first-aid kid Reed gave him, but on his way he understood that Sue won't be happy to see her brother like that, she has always been protective, especially when it came to her little Johnnycakes (**A/N:** well, maybe that wasn't how Sue called him, but that's just fun=). So he decided to leave his treatment to Mother Nature and just have some sleep.

Soon he was in his room. He threw the kit on the floor and observed the reminding of the previous night.

_Hot girl for sure, even though she's all about water,_ he smirked to himself and headed to his bed. But a second later he stopped and turned back to the door to lock it.

_Just so Sue won't catch me by surprise. _

After that he carefully lay down on the bed on his stomach, wincing and frowning when his back muscles were disturbed. Moving them hurt. But soon enough he fell asleep.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O

His sleep was interrupted by a knock on his door.

"Johnny? Johnny, are you okay?" that was Sue.

"Huh?" the guy was struggling with the sleep.

"You okay? It's almost midday and you're still in bed."

"I'm-I'm fine, sis, seriously. Just didn't have much sleep last night," Johnny did his best to sound convincing.

"Well, okay then, we were just worried."

"And by 'we' you mean?"

"Ben and myself. Reed and Amara are in the lab for hours now. Locked," there was irritation in Sue's voice.

"Um… seriously?" that was all he could say.

"Okay, we'll see you down there."

"Yeah, I'm coming. Be there in a minute."

But he was still sleepy and all he could do was promise himself to stay in bed for just a minute. _Oh, okay, two minutes… no, three… okay, make it five for better count. _

There was a knock on the door again.

"Sue, I said, I'll be there!"

"Johnny, it's me… uh… Amara. How're you feeling?" a quiet voice replied.

Johnny jumped on his feet and frowned at the pain in his back. He opened up.

"Hey," the guy saw her there, she looked nervous. "Did I wake you up?" the girl frowned with concern.

"No, no, I was about to go down already."

"How's your back?"

"Um… better, I think?" Johnny shrugged.

Amara bit her lower lip, she wasn't looking at the guy. Johnny remembered that wasn't like her, she used to always look straight into her opponent's eyes.

"Did Sue help you with that?" she asked finally.

"Uh… actually, no, I didn't want to worry her," Johnny confessed.

"So you just leaved it as it is?" Amara's eyes widened. "Johnny, that's… lie down."

"What?" Johnny was taken aback.

"Lie down; I'll examine your injuries. Leaving them like that is dangerous," Amara noticed the first-aid kit on the floor and grabbed it. When she turned back to Johnny he was still on his feet, his face concerned.

"What?" the girl frowned.

"Um…"

"Are you _afraid_ of me?" she frowned a bit.

"What? No, of course not," Johnny chuckled. "Just…"

"What?" Amara repeated.

"You know how to do that? I mean, the treatment?"

"Well, yeah, I've been trained in the navy, you know," she gave Johnny the 'isn't it obvious, dummy?' face.

"Oh, okay then," the guy nodded. Actually he didn't know himself why he was hesitating. Well, _maybe_ he was scared. Just a bit. _After a night like that everyone would. _

"So, did Reed do something?" Johnny asked after he was on his bed again.

"About that feeling thing? You mean, did he fix it back?"

"Mhm."

"No," her voice sounded irritated.

"Well, it's not that bad actually."

"You mean feelings? Reed told me the same. He said I was able to feel strongest emotions before that thing he gave me, so I can get used to feelings. Johnny, it's gonna hurt a bit right now…"

"OUCH!" the guy yelled.

"Hey, hey, easy, big boy," she let out a soft laughter and Johnny felt a light breeze on his back, like she was blowing on it. It felt better.

"You okay?" Amara asked after a while. "One more injure and then we're done."

"Good to know," the guy sighed.

"Well, looks like I'm all about pain for you now, huh?" she chuckled but Johnny could hear bitterness in her voice.

Johnny didn't know what to say to that and there's been an awkward silence for couple of minutes.

"So… what was it that night?" the guy asked finally.

"Well… Reed told me that was an outburst of emotions that were, well, hidden in me. Like a wall was broken and here they are," she snorted.

"And feelings? Reed said something about it too, I remember."

"As he said, 'they are blossoming in you right now'," Amara copied Reed's voice but there definitely was awkwardness in her voice, like she didn't want to say that.

Johnny snorted.

"Uh, Amara… what was that you said in the lab? I mean, about your mother and…"

"Well, we're done here, you can now go eat something, you must be starving," Amara interrupted him and stood up on her feet.

"Amara, wait…"

"Johnny, I'm done with the treatment, I need to go," she was adamant.

The guy stood up on his feet too, he was angry with himself. For once he could get to know something about her and he screwed it up.

"And I'm really sorry about that night," Amara didn't look at him and headed towards the door.

Suddenly an idea popped up in Johnny's head.

"And you think that's gonna cut it?" he asked loudly.

The girl stopped. "Pardon me?" She slowly turned back to him, her face confused and hurt.

_Ooooh, shit! Can't stand that expression for long… brace yourself, man, you've got a mission! _

"Well, you think that you'll just say 'sorry' and I'll be fine with it? You practically turned my back into a piece of meat and you think your 'sorry' will cut it?"

"Uh… what d'you mean?" Amara frowned a bit.

"Well, you must do something to make it up to me," Johnny crossed his arms doing his best to keep a straight face, because her expression was making him weak.

"Like what?" she was still not getting it.

"Well," Johnny made a thinking face and scratched his chin, "a date could work…"

"What?" the girl finally understood what he's been up to. "No way!"

"Hey, as a makeup for that night! My back hurts, you know, and that's because of you."

"That's because of Reed!"

"And why did you come into my room, huh?" Johnny made a sarcastic face. "You could've come to Rocky…"

"Uh… I was just…" she frowned and bit her bottom lip, there was a clear confusion on her face.

"What? Wanted me to be around when you are down?" the guy gave her his winning smile.

"Oh, you know what, I guess I can live without your forgiveness!" Amara snapped and turned around.

"Hey, hey!" Johnny realized he went too far. "I didn't mean that!"

"Yeah?" the girl faced him.

"Yeah! I just thought that'd only be fair if you do something for me…"

"A date is not an option!"

"Hey, that's my back that's bleeding and that's you who did this," Johnny reminded her.

"Stop playing a victim."

"'sides, do you want Sue to find out who did that to her little brother?" the guy smirked.

"What? She'll find out anyway."

"Yeah, but if her brother tells her that he is absolutely happy and healthy…"

"That's called blackmailing, you know?" Amara crossed her arms and at that moment Johnny realized he won.

"Yup, I do," he smiled again. "So?"

Amara rolled her eyes. "Fine! But just as friends. Just, say, a 'friends hangout'."

"Hey!"

"It's either that or nothing," she smiled victoriously.

"Okay, fine. A date, a hangout… that doesn't change a thing," the end of the phrase he murmured to himself.

"When then?"

"Today."

"What? I thought you're on your dead bed!" Amara exclaimed.

"Let's say that was a miraculous recover," Johnny smirked.

"Yeah, whatever."

"So, I'll arrange everything and let you know."

"Take your time, Matchhead," Amara snorted and left the room.

**Okay, so Amara is a bitch, but she'll get better, I promise=) btw, this is going to be a long story… prepare. But if you guys won't just subscribe or add it to favorites' but REVIEW ****at least with ONE word (Nelle07 is a great example), that won't take you much time and I will write WAY faster. **


	8. Chapter 8

**So, here comes the date=) I am absolutely not aware of how all the things described here normally work, I've never been there, but let's just pretend it can be this way. Anyway, fanfiction is all about 'let's pretend', so don't judge me too strictly)**

About an hour and a half later Johnny was heading towards the kitchen whistling some melody to himself. When he got closer he heard girls' laughter coming from there and then Sue's voice.

"God, I am so glad to be back home. You can't imagine how boring it was there in that submarine."

"Well, I missed you here too, so that wasn't easy for me either," Johnny heard Alicia's soft voice.

"Alicia!" the guy exclaimed as he entered the kitchen. He was really glad to see her, that woman was like the essential of tranquility in the Baxter Building. "How you been doing?" he asked after they embraced.

"Not bad, Johnny, but I was missing you," she answered with a light smile.

"Aw, so you missed me?" Johnny made a touched face. "Don't tell Rocky, it'll break his heart."

Both women chuckled.

"Have you guys seen Amara?" Johnny grabbed an apple and took a bite.

"The sea girl?" asked Alicia.

"Sea girl?" Johnny raised his eyebrows.

"That's how she smells to me," Alicia explained with a smile.

"I thought she would smell fish to you," the guy shrugged.

"Johnny!" Susan gave him a look. "How can you?"

"Oh, that's just how it is. She has scales so she'd probably smell like fish."

"That is so gross," Sue rolled her eyes.

"You know I've never been the romantic type," Johnny gave his sister a 'well that's just me' smile. "'sides, I'm okay with smelling like ashes to Alicia."

"Not like you have any choice," Alicia chuckled. "Anyway, there is a fish smell in the sea, so if that's easier for you to think you're not the only one with a weird smell to me…"

"I didn't say she smells weird," Johnny interrupted her. "In fact, I love how the sea smells."

"You know, I think you love how _she_ smells," the woman replied with her usual sweet smile.

That was so unexpected that Johnny choked.

"Wh-wha-Ali-cia," the guy was trying to speak through his cough. He noticed Sue was looking at Alicia with wide eyes.

"What?" Alicia raised here eyebrows. "I just can't imagine Johnny Storm staying indifferent to a gorgeous girl especially if she is around for a while."

"How do you know she's gorgeous?" Johnny only managed to say.

"Sue said," Alicia answered simply.

To win himself couple of seconds Johnny pretended to be busy chewing.

"Um… so have you seen her?"

"Yes, she went upstairs about ten minutes ago," Sue replied calmly, obviously trying to act like Alicia didn't say anything.

"Thanks," the guy smiled. "I… um… have to ask her something… so… see you around," with that he left the kitchen.

When he was already in the passageway Johnny stopped and took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

"Alicia, what was that?" he heard Sue's voice seconds later.

"_That_ was just a joke, Johnny got it, I'm sure," Alicia's voice was even. "But if what you told me about her and him is right, I hope this time for him it is something serious. About time, I think."

Johnny rushed forward through the passageway. Something serious? But he didn't want anything serious! Besides, what did Sue tell Alicia about him and Amara?

The guy entered an empty hall and sat down into one of the armchairs, put his hands behind his head and leaned back, closing his eyes.

What could Alicia know about them? Only what Sue told her. But his feelings to Amara…

_Holla, holla, feelings? Man, you finally lost it. No feelings! No way! Just… interest. That's it. I just want to know her better. You don't meet a mermaid everyday actually, so I'm just curious._

But hell was he so obvious?

_Shit, even Frankie told me so! Man, you are so doing the wrong thing now._

And what about the today's date?

_Hell, I've been on millions dates before and nope, nothing serious! 'sides, that's not even a _date_, that's a _friendshangout_, Amara said that herself. So there will be… I mean, won't be… oh, shit!_

Johnny rubbed his temples.

_Man, get over it! What the heck are you afraid of? A _girl_? Johnny Storm will never back down before a girl and never let anyone say what he should do, even if it's 'about time'._

With that thought he stood up, smiled confidently though no one saw that and headed towards the stairs.

"May I?" he knocked on Amara's door a minute later.

"Open."

When Johnny entered the girl was lying on her bed reading a book.

"I have arranged everything, we can go," he smirked.

"Oh, I thought you gave that up," Amara rolled her eyes and put away the book.

"Well, actually I was about to…" Johnny confessed.

"And what stopped you?" the girl looked at him but she looked concerned. "Oh, actually I don't care. Where are we going?"

"I won't tell you. That'll be a surprise," Johnny's smirk became wider as he watched Amara's expression getting even more confused.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Johnny, I _hate_ surprises! And that's _not_ a date."

"Yeah, I remember," Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "That's a 'friends hangout'," he quotated. "But a friend can make a surprise to a friend, right?"

"And how am I supposed to get there if I don't know where we're going?" the girl crossed her arms.

"In my car. I'll drive."

"Johnny!" she exclaimed.

"What? Friends can drive in one car, you know!" that was getting annoying.

Amara bit her lower lip.

"Will I need something?" she finally asked.

"What? Um… oh. No, nothing."

The girl gave him one more look until she came towards the table and took her credit card.

"You won't need that too," Johnny said loudly.

"I will pay my part of… whatever we will do."

"That's stupid!"

"That's what friends do!" the girl rose her eyebrow.

"Hey, I have friends and I know how it rolls. Let this be my treat for today. Besides, we won't need money at all."

"Are we going camping?"

"Look," Johnny exhaled. "Can we do this faster?"

Suddenly Amara's expression changed, like she made herself relax.

"Screw those emotions," the girl murmured but Johnny heard. "Miss those times when I could just say 'whatever' and move on. Let's go," she added louder.

"Finally! You girls are so long!"

"Don't ever say 'you girls' if you wanna win the girl over," Amara looked at Johnny and raised her eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" he gave her a sarcastic face. "And who says I'm trying to win you over?"

And that was the first time ever she saw Amara blush.

"Wo-wow!" he couldn't help himself. "You're blushing!"

"What? No I'm not!"

"Yes you are," Johnny smiled widely.

The girl frowned and bit her lower lip. Then she swiftly turned around and opened the door. Johnny followed, still chuckling quietly.

Down at the parking Johnny rushed to open the door of the passenger's seat for Amara, but she demonstratively opened it herself.

"Are you always that stubborn?" the guy asked when the car left the parking.

"Uh?" she frowned misunderstanding. "Um, no… I think. I don't give a damn about many things usually. Well, I _used_ to not give a damn," she sighed. "Guess that'd be different now. I will _feel_ something about everything," Amara said almost with disgust.

"Well, Reed must have had a reason to do that?" Johnny asked carefully.

"He said that's bad for my body," she huffed.

"What's bad?"

"Blocking emotions. The NGA scientists have managed to change the production of hormones in my body, which can't be good."

"What do emotions have with hormones?" Johnny frowned at Amara.

"Um… Johnny, what were you doing in school?" she looked back with concern. "Except for being an all-star and girls' dream, I mean," the girl huffed.

"Well, nothing much…" the guy let out a laugh. "Why?"

"Drop it. You can ask Sue to get you a book like… 'Biology 101' or… 'Biology for school stars who failed everything'…"

"Hey, I didn't fail everything!" Johnny answered with a smile, taking his eyes away from the road for a second to look at Amara.

"And what didn't you fail?" she looked back with a smile too.

"Well, P.E…" Johnny was still smiling.

"Sure," she chuckled.

"And how were your school days? I'm sure you were a cheerleader and Homecoming and Prom queen. Right?"

The smile faded away from Amara's lips.

"I-um… I didn't go to school. The NGA took me when I was nine and I was living within it ever since."

"Wh-what d'you mean 'took you'?" Johnny was in shock.

"Started their experiments."

"And your parents? Weren't they against it?" he couldn't get it.

"No, they weren't."

"But uh…"

"Stop it. Let's talk about something else," Amara's voice was firm.

"O-kay… wait, how can you know about school… I mean, about my school time, if you didn't attend school?"

"Max told me once. That's who he was in school as well, actually, girls' dream and all," she chuckled. "Besides I…"

"… read my profile," Johnny finished for her.

"Yep."

"Okay, let's change the topic. I don't wanna talk or hear about my profile ever again," he rolled his eyes. "And about Max too," Johnny added after a second.

Amara huffed.

"Fine. Where are we going then?"

"Not gonna tell you," Johnny shook his head.

"Come on!" the girl rolled her eyes. "That's stupid."

"Let's talk about… mermaids," that was the first thing to pop up in Johnny's head.

"Why plural? As far as I know there aren't any except me."

"Aw, so modest!"

"Just saying it as it is, Matchstick," Amara gave him a look but her lips were smiling. "I've been in every part of every ocean and never seen any mermaids."

"You swim a lot?"

"Used to. When I was in the NGA. Used to be away for months, just swimming," she smiled, apparently to her memories.

"For months?" Johnny looked at Amara with wide eyes. "What were you eating? Raw fish?"

The smile faded away and the girl let out a laugh. "Aw, so romantic!"

"No, seriously. Is there anything else in the ocean to eat except fish?"

"Depends on the place. There are a lot of cute islands near equator, so when I was swimming around there I was eating fruits as well… and I don't eat raw fish, I roast it."

"But you said once you don't like fish."

"I would like to see you eating only fish for months and then wanting more."

Johnny chuckled. But still he couldn't get it, how can a girl, let alone a mermaid, just swim away and stay in the ocean for months. But he decided to ask later as they have already arrived.

"Here we are," the guy stopped the engine.

"Wh-? The dolphinarium?" Amara's eyes widened.

"Yeah, I thought you love swimming with dolphins."

"Why would I pay attention to fish around?" she raised her single eyebrow. "Except for when I'm hungry."

They were still sitting in the car and Amara didn't even loosen her seatbelt, as if she didn't want to go. Or didn't see the point.

"Are we coming?" Johnny asked after a minute of silence.

"You wanna make me a part of the show?" the girl looked at Johnny with disgust.

"What?" he exclaimed. "Are you nuts? D'you really think I can do that? Do I look like that type of a guy?"

"What then?" Amara was a little bit taken aback by his reaction.

"My friend is kind of a boss here, so I sometimes ask him to let me swim here alone after hours."

"So no one will be there? And your friend?"

"Nope, not even him."

"Okay, fine," Amara sighed and got out of the car.

They passed through the gates and entered an empty alley that lead no a number of huge pools.

"Johnny, man!" they turned their heads and saw a guy of Johnny's age coming from a side alley.

"You said no one's gonna be here," Amara frowned at Johnny.

"That's my friend, he has to give me the keys to lock the gates and stuff," the guy shrugged. "You may just go to the pools and see the dolphins while I talk to him. Um, you know," he added after he saw the how his friend was clearly checking the girl out, "you better go there, I'll join you in a minute."

The girl went forward to the pools.

"Hey Logan," Johnny greeted his friend.

"What a girl!" Logan exclaimed. "New chick, huh?"

"She's a friend," Johnny frowned a bit at his friend's expression.

"A friend?" the other guy raised his eyebrow sarcastically. "Johnny Storm has a _girl_ for a _friend_? That's either you're kidding me or you finally lost it."

"I said she's a _friend_."

"Oh, then I go get to know her…" with that Logan made a step towards where Amara came.

"Um, Logan, can you just give me the keys? She's not very social."

"Seriously? Oh, I see, that's why you ain't fucked her yet, right? But you don't need a very social girl to fuck her, in fact, that's even better when…"

"Shut up you," Johnny stepped up closer to Logan and looked warningly at him.

"Oh come on, she's just another hot babe!"

"Look, give me the keys and get lost."

"Or what?" Logan smirked. "You gone set me on fire, Human Torch?"

"Don't need fire to kick your ass."

They were staring at each other for couple of seconds but then Logan smirked again.

"Chill, man. Here you go," he handed Johnny the keys. "You know what to do with them."

"Thanks, man."

"And if it doesn't work with that chick for you, can you give me her number?"

"We'll see 'bout that," Johnny tried to smile. "See you."

"Later."

When Logan finally left, Johnny continued walking through the alley and soon found Amara near one of the pools. She was on her lap near the water and two dolphins that lived in that pool gathered near her. They were squeaking loudly.

"Hey," Johnny came closer.

"They're amazing," Amara turned her head to him and smiled, that was her happiest smile Johnny has ever seen.

"Glad you like them," the guy smiled back. "They like you too. Hey, Winky (**A/N:** couldn't come up with anything better, sorry=)," he sat down and patted on of the dolphin's nose.

"You know them?" Amara smiled at him in disbelief.

"Yeah, I used to swim here a lot."

"With your _girls_?" the girl huffed.

"I've never brought any of my girlfriends here," he said absolutely sincerely. "I was here alone, my friends don't get it."

"Why did you stop then?"

"Well…I dunno. I suddenly started to… dislike water," he confessed.

"Then you are we here?"

"Well I figured you won't let the water be bad to me?" the guy smirked and stood up.

"Wait," Amara stood up on her feet too. "Are we going to swim?"

"Yeah," Johnny didn't understand the tone.

"Then why didn't you tell me? I need my costume."

"You're a mermaid, you don't need anything to swim," he crossed his arms.

"To become a mermaid I need to be naked," the girl crossed his arms too. "Or in my costume."

_I prefer naked._

The words nearly slipped but Johnny swallowed them.

"So what, you mean you're not gonna swim?" he raised his eyebrows.

"Nope."

"Come on, I'll look away! Or close my eyes! No, I'll look away and close my eyes!" Johnny promised.

"No."

"Oh come on!" Johnny repeated.

Amara bit her lower lip. She was hesitating.

"Get in the water," she finally said.

"What?"

"Get in the water."

"O-kay… hope you won't make me drown," he chuckled and started to take off his t-shirt. "That's a good thing I have my swimming suit on."

"Well you knew where we were going," came a reasonable response.

When Johnny took off his shirt he looked at Amara he noticed that she wasn't looking at his torso, as if she was avoiding it. The guy smirked to himself and took off his shoes, socks then jeans. The girl was still looking away. Without a word Johnny dived into the pool. The dolphins started to squeak even louder and happier.

"And?" he looked up at the girl.

"Enjoy your swim," Amara smiled mischievously. "Hope dolphins will be a good company. See you."

"What? Hey, wait! Are you leaving?"

She let out a small laughter.

"No, just kidding."

"Oh, that's good because… wow-wo-wo! OUCH!" he screamed because a huge wave suddenly came from behind him and lifted him up. He looked at Amara and saw he was smiling and moving her right palm. She smiled wilder and another wave covered him and he felt he was falling down in the pool. He didn't wait until his feet touch the bottom of the pool because he knew the pool is really deep, and started to move his legs to swim up as soon as he could. Though he understood that Amara didn't do that to kill him, he was scared for real. He hated water for a reason, he couldn't use his powers in it and he felt helpless. And Johnny hated feeling helpless.

When he finally reached the surface of the water he took a desperate breath. His eyes were closed and he was just savoring the very possibility of breathing. Then he felt a hand on his back and turned around. Amara was there, her neck was in the water and her face was concerned.

"You okay?" her lips were moving silently.

"Are you nuts?" Johnny shouted. "I could die!"

Amara smiled lightly. "I wouldn't let that happen," no sound came.

"You can't speak?" it snapped for Johnny.

The girl rolled her eyes and pointed at her gills.

"Oh, right," Johnny scratched his scalp. "So… you like it?"

Her smile grew wider and she turned her head left. Johnny followed her gaze and saw the dolphins near her. If they weren't dolphins, he could say they're ecstatic. But maybe they were.

Johnny smiled too.

"Glad you do. So, um… you wanna swim?"

Amara plunged into water and soon Johnny saw a fast wave going towards the opposite side of the pool. The dolphins followed.

Suddenly Johnny heard a loud splash and saw Amara rocketing up, water around her like geyser. She was going higher and higher and soon her tail was visible. When she was about twelve feet above the pool she leaned on her back, her head was now directed down to the pool and she dived back into it.

"Wow," Johnny whispered barely hearable.

A second later Amara showed up near him, smiling happily.

"That was awesome!" Johnny exclaimed.

"Wanna try?" he read the girls' lips.

"Me?" he frowned. "How?"

Amara smiled and lifted her left hand up, and Johnny felt a wave lifting him up as well.

"Hey, don't make it too high, okay?"

But the wave was growing and soon it pushed the guy up a bit. With a yell, as it was unexpected, Johnny flew about a feet higher and fell down onto the wave. But the water wasn't hard as it usually was, on the contrary, it was soft and pleasant. It was tickling and sending chills and waves through his body. Johnny loved the feeling.

"Okay, that was a great hydra massage," he smirked to Amara when he was already down. "You know, there are ways to other pools, underwater, wanna go there?"

Amara smiled and nodded enthusiastically and plunged into water. Johnny dived too and opened his eyes. He saw for the first time Amara so close in her mermaid form and he it was unexpected how huge and long her tail was, gills on her neck looked a bit weird too. But her happy smile was saying it better than anything, she loved being a mermaid.

Johnny turned towards the hole to another pool and Amara followed, soon she was swimming right next to him. Gills on her neck were opening and closing and she felt absolutely comfortable about it.

When they reached the hole Amara sped up and went through it first, Johnny followed her swiftly as he felt the lack of air. But the dolphins, wanting to be closer to Amara, were faster than him and swam by, making Johnny stop and the waves from their tails and flippers pushed the guy to the side of the hole. He felt sudden pain in the back, apparently his back hit the side of the pool, and the pain in his wounds made him accidentally open his mouth. Water came in and Johnny felt like a stick was stuck in his brain through his nose. He started to make hoarse moves with his legs and arms trying to swim up, but his conscious was getting weaker and weaker, he felt he was losing it. But suddenly Johnny felt someone's arms around his waist and it felt like he was being dragged up.

Soon enough he felt air in his nose instead of water and started to cough. Johnny opened his eyes and saw Amara's face an inch away from his, the girl's eyes were full of horror.

"See, that's why I hate water," he said after he stopped coughing. "No, don't let go of me yet, I'm still too weak."

Amara's eyes narrowed and she shook her head.

"You may hold me closer, you know."

But instead of that the girl let go of his waist and grabbed his hand instead. Johnny felt water all around him again and in a split second they reached the edge of the pool.

"Yeah, you right, I better stay here."

Another wave pushed the guy out of the pool, now even more carefully than before, and he found himself lying on the ground.

"That's a good idea, I'll wait for you here," Johnny agreed. He felt slightly dizzy and tired, it must've been because he didn't get a proper sleep last night. "But you can go on swimming, seriously, I don't wanna ruin your fun."

Soon he heard a splash and at that very moment he fell asleep.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Hey, Fireboy, wake up," Johnny opened his eyes and saw Amara sitting next to him. "I guess we have to go."

"Um… did I fall asleep?" the guy rubbed his eyes and sat down.

"Yeah. Do you feel okay?"

"Mhm. How long was I out?"

"'bout three hours."

"Oh shit. That was a nice date," he huffed.

"That wasn't supposed to be one," Amara rolled her eyes. "But I had fun. Thank you for today," she smirked.

"You're welcome," Johnny huffed again. "Um, look…" he scratched his scalp, "there is a park near here, wanna take a walk?"

The girl bit her lip considering it.

"Alright, fine," she smiled finally.

**Sorry, guys, such a long wait and such a stupid chapter=( BUT there will be a surprise in the next one!**


	9. To readers

**Awwww, yet again! Is the story THAT bad? I won't update until I get reviews. Come on, people, you won't die if you write A WORD, right? And I will be happy, so please please review !**


	10. Chapter 9

**Hey guys, new chapter is here! Thanks to **_**Carlypso, Kayley**__**M, Siriusly-LOLing**_** and **_**Gollum4077 **_**for reviewing previous chapter. PLEASE keep on reviewing! **

**There is a surprise in this chapter=)) hope you'll like that and the chapter.**

**And oh, I don't own anything connected with MARVEL universe.**

"Wanna gelato?" Johnny asked when they were already in the park.

"No, thank you," Amara huffed.

"As you wish," the guy smirked and put sunglasses on.

"What is that for? Ah, your _fans_," Amara rolled her eyes.

"Exactly," Johnny smirked again. "Don't wanna ruin our…"

"Walk, Johnny, that's just a walk," the girl reminded him.

"Yeah, walk, right… Don't wanna attract too much attention…"

"But you love that," it was a statement, not a question.

"Well…" Johnny didn't know how to respond to that.

"That's great, actually."

"What's great?"

"That you are not alone," she shrugged. "Being alone sucks."

"Oh… I guess so… plus I have Sue…" Johnny added not knowing what else to say.

"Yeah, and Ben, and Reed too," the girl smiled lightly and, as Johnny noticed, a bit sad.

"I annoy them," he let out a small laugh.

"They still care for you, that shows."

"So you don't deny that I am annoying?" the guy raised his eyebrow and smiled.

"That's hard to deny," she smiled too.

"Ouch, that hurts!" Johnny continued.

"Nah, you'll get over it," she huffed.

"Well, if you help me since you were the one who hurt me…" the guy started but the voices from behind interrupted.

"OMG!"

"Johnny Storm!"

They both turned around and saw two pretty girls about fifteen years old, one with blond hair and a red-headed one, both wearing bright mini-skirts.

"Is that you?" the blonde one gasped. "I can't believe it!"

"You are so great, we love you so much!" red-headed girl made an adorable face.

"Oh, um, thanks," somehow for the first time ever Johnny was taken aback around fans.

"Can we have a picture? Please," they both pleaded.

"Uh, I guess so…"

"Um… are you… his…" blonde turned towards Amara, it seemed like she has just noticed her.

"No, no, I'm not his girlfriend," Amara replied swiftly sounding almost terrified.

"Then maybe you could take a picture of us?"

"Uh, yeah, sure," Amara shrugged but it didn't look like she was enjoying the situation.

She took the camera from the red-headed girl and stepped couple of steps back while the two girls put their hands around Johnny's waist from both sides.

"Johnny, take the sunglasses off…" the red-headed one demanded.

The guy hesitated for a second but then still took them off and plastered his famous smile.

"And three… two… one…" Amara murmured.

"Human Torch! Mom, look, that's him!" a boy about five years old yelled.

"Johnny Storm!"

"Oh my God, he's so hot!"

"JOHNNY!"

It seemed like every single person in the park was staring at Johnny and half of them was shouting something.

Johnny has already realized his disguise was ruined but didn't care much, on the contrary, he was glad.

He was smiling widely, there was no place he'd rather be, he loved where he was, he belonged there, to the spotlight. Every time Johnny was around huge crowd shouting the names of Fantastic Four members, or, more preferably, his name only, he couldn't think of anything but how he was loving it. He saw smiles of admiration on their faces and couldn't help enjoying it, wanting more of that was all he could think of.

Cameras were flicking, people formed a crowd around him and two girls have already taken off their tops and threw them to Johnny. The guy smirked and caught them.

"Johnny, can I get a signed picture?"

"Johnny, can I get just any picture! I love you!"

"Marry me, Johnny!"

"Ladies, ladies, I will take pictures with great pleasure, just please form the line so we make sure no one leaves here disappointed," Johnny announced loudly and the girls screamed again, running around to stay as close to him as possible.

Three more girls were taking shirts off and Johnny noticed that one of them didn't have underwear under it, so his eyes locked on her and he was already about to let her take a picture first.

"We are now reporting from an improvised autograph session of Johnny Storm, also known as Human Torch from the Fantastic Four," Johnny turned around and saw TV cameras.

"Human Torch, the hottest superhero of the world…" another reporter was standing in front of another camera.

"As we found out Johnny was here with an unknown girl, can she be his girlfriend? Does that mean that the dream guy of millions of girls is taken?" that was the third reporter.

_What gi__r-?… crap! Amara! Crap, crap, crap!_

Johnny's expression immediately turned to confused, he was alone in the center of the crowd, _where is she? _

"Amara! Amara!" he shouted looking for her in the crowd and soon he did. She was still there and that was a relief for the guy. Johnny looked at Amara and saw an expression of pure disgust on her face.

"Look, Amara, I'm…" he went towards her reaching for her arm.

"Don't touch me, _superhero_," Amara snapped and backed off.

"Look, I didn't mean…"

"Go back to your circus, super_freak_," she frowned as if she smelled something stinky.

"Bitch!" someone from the crowd yelled.

"Yeah, they love you," Amara raised her eyebrow. "What am I even doing here, huh?"

"Amara, listen, that's just how it is," Johnny started and frowned at a sudden wave of pain that rushed through his head.

"Yeah, and you enjoy that. But that's _your_ thing, Johnny, and don't drag me into this," the girl shook her head. "I should've left all alone."

"Yeah, get lost, bitch!" another person yelled.

Amara winched and bit her lip, turned around and started to move through the crowd.

"He can do so much better, whore!"

"You ain't worth him, slut!"

"Get off!" people were screaming.

"Amara, wait!" Johnny felt things were getting out of hands, he shouted as loud as he could and another wave of pain hit his head, only now it was somehow hot pain. The guy closed his eyes and put his hands up to cover his head but the pain didn't stop, instead, it felt like his brain was pulsating with heat. All sounds became duller as the heat became unbearable and reached his eyeballs. Johnny knitted his eyebrows together and fell on his knees, unable to stand the waves of heat rushing through his head. It was like his head was on fire but the guy could feel with his hands that it wasn't. The hot pulse in his ears was getting louder and faster, _stop it, stop it, stop, stop, please, please, stop it. _

And then abruptly it stopped.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Johnny snapped back to reality and tried to open his eyes, but he couldn't. He felt like something cold was pressing them closed.

"Hey, someone?" he tried his best not to sound terrified but an absolutely appropriate panic was still there.

_Am I blind__ now?_

"Hey, people," he called once more in a cracked voice.

"Johnny, s'okay, you're home," the guy recognized Amara's voice. "It's me, Amara."

"What's with my eyes? I can't open them," Johnny felt a bit safer but still worried.

"I put an ice mask on…"

Johnny immediately reached to grab it and take off but as soon as he pulled the mask up a pain in his eyelids made him stop.

"Why it hurts?" he started to panic again.

"Because of your eyelashes, genius, they're in the ice," Amara chuckled softly.

"Look, Amara, I'm sorry about what happened in the park, really sorry, just don't do this to me, please take it off," the guy almost pleaded.

"What?" she sounded puzzled.

"Don't do this to me, please, I swear that will never happen again, just please take it off of me…"

"You think I did this to _torture_ you?" her voice was high.

"Um…"

"Your eyes and forehead were overheated, that was necessary to chill them down, Johnny, Reed told me to do that," Amara explained in an irritated tone. "Did you really think I wanted to hurt you?"

"Amara, I'm… I shouldn't… I just…" Johnny didn't know what to say. It was easy for her to speak, she wasn't the one unable to open eyes and finally understand what is going on.

"Stay still," she huffed and soon Johnny felt that the pressure of the ice on him is getting smaller and in two more seconds he finally managed to open his eyes. He immediately shut them again as the light was too bright and blinked couple of times.

Johnny looked around and saw he was in his room lying on the bed. Amara was leaning against the wall not looking at him.

"Amara, I'm sorry," he sat up, "thousands of times sorry, for all those people and…"

"Johnny, don't be," the girl interrupted and looked at him. "I am the one who should be sorry, I shouldn't have lost my temper back there. It's that stupid emotion thing…" she shook her head. "Reed said I won't be able to control myself for a while. Like other normal women when they're PMSing," Amara huffed. "That sucks."

"Oh…" that was all Johnny could come up with.

"And let's stop saying 'I'm sorry', seriously, I'm fed up with that. Deal?" she smirked.

"Deal," the guy returned the smirk.

"And… I just wanted to say that I really had fun today and…um… thanks…" Amara added and Johnny could swear there was a hint of pink on her cheeks. The guy smiled to that.

"How're you feeling?" she swiftly changed the topic.

"Um… not bad," Johnny shrugged. "Fine actually… just can't remember much… how did I get here?"

"Wait, what's the last thing you remember?"

"I got a terrible headache, like my brain was on fire and my eyes too," Johnny scratched his scalp trying to remember more. "Then the pain became like a pulse and it grew hotter… and then I don't remember…wait," he stopped. "Did I… did I faint?" he looked at Amara.

"Um…" she bit her lip. "Actually yeah, but…"

"Oh great!" Johnny threw his hands up. "Perfect! Johnny Storm faints in front of a hundred fans and TV cameras! Awesome!"

"Actually, they didn't pay much attention."

"Really?" the guy asked hopefully.

"Johnny don't you remember anything?"

"What?"

"You burned the trees."

"What?" Johnny didn't get it. "What trees?"

"In the park. All trees in the area."

"Wait, what d'you mean burned?"

"Well, like, set on fire…" Amara shrugged.

"How? I didn't flame on," Johnny couldn't understand a thing.

"Yeah, you didn't, but the trees were still on fire. They all started to burn simultaneously," the girl sounded misunderstanding too.

"Why do you think that was me?"

"Who else?" Amara raised her eyebrow.

"Yeah, that makes sense… wait," it snapped, "and people? Are they okay?"

"Yeah, no one was hurt. I took care of the fire."

"Ah, sure." Johnny smiled. "But I still fainted…"

"Nah, trust me, people didn't care…"

"And TV? I know those people, _trust_ _me_, they'll die to shoot a sensation…"

"If that worries you more than how you managed to set on fire a hundred trees without even looking at them, then don't worry, they don't have anything now even if they shoot you back there fainting. The water wasn't very picky so I think the cameras are broken beyond repair," Amara shrugged.

"Seriously? That… that's just great!" the guy smiled widely. "Thank you, you are just… wait, where did you get so much water? Out of nowhere?"

"Fire hydrants," she huffed. "I can't _produce_ water, I only take it from air but that takes time," Amara explained. "Reed said you have to go to the lab as soon as you wake up, so I guess we better go…"

"Why? I feel fine," Johnny protested.

"There is something wrong with your powers, Johnny, you have to get Reed check that," the girl shook her head. "Or I can ask Reed to come here…"

"No, I'll go," Johnny interrupted her and stood up.

"Okay, let's go," Amara turned towards the door.

"Did Reed ask you to go there too?" the guy couldn't help asking.

"Um, no, but…" she was stuttering and Johnny smiled to himself. "Well… I just wanna know what happened… 'sides," Amara turned to the guy, "would _you_ just leave me like that if there was something wrong with me?"

"No," Johnny didn't have time to come up with anything witty and his mouth just gave the truth away.

"Any more questions? Or shall we go?" Amara crossed her arms and smiled winningly.

Johnny just shook his head smiling too.

They were going down the stairs when they heard a loud scream coming from the lab and it was full of horror. Amara and Johnny looked at each other and literally ran towards the laboratory.

When they entered it they immediately understood that Sue was the one to scream. And she was looking with wide eyes at something near Reed's table. Johnny looked where she was looking and saw something that looked like an ordinary human silhouette, or maybe a statue made of some transparent stone like diamond, but this statue was moving. It was looking at its palms and legs.

Johnny looked at Amara in complete confusion and saw that the girl was just as confused as him. And Sue was in shook too.

"Wh-what's… what's _that_?" he managed to say.

"I dunno," Susan was whispering. "Reed was working on something and I was helping him and then I turned around to search some stuff on my computer and then I turned around back and…" she seemed a bit out.

"That's Reed?" Amara's eyes widened just like Sue's.

"Reed?" Johnny whispered to the statue.

It's head looked up at Johnny and like some wave went through the statue from toe to head and everybody saw Reed in his white lab gown sitting in front of them.

"What was that?" Reed seemed just as confused as any of them.

"I wanted to ask _you_ actually," Amara was still looking at Reed.

"Well I tried to activate my powers to get a book from that shelf," the scientist pointed with his thumb at a shelf behind his back on the other end of the lab, "and suddenly became this."

"And _what_ is this?"

Reed shrugged and shook his head. "I have no idea."

"Sweet," Amara huffed. "First Johnny and now you…"

"What did you say?" Reed swiftly turned to her.

"That Johnny's powers are weird now too?…" the girl looked puzzled.

"Exactly! That's right!" Reed's eyes brightened. He bent down to his computer and started to type something. "Like when it was after Johnny went in contact with Surfer…"

"I never met him ever since," Johnny raised his hands.

"Sue, could you get me the folder G-4034? It's there, behind the Moderator (A/N: Actually I meant that device from the first movie… but I don't know how they called it. Excuse me=)"

"Got it," Sue nodded and almost ran in that direction.

Johnny looked at Amara and she shrugged, "have no idea," she said with her lips only.

"Um, guys?" Sue was still somewhere behind that huge device and her voice sounded dull.

"What?" Johnny replied loudly.

"Um… I…" the voice was confused.

"Sue, what?" Reed raised his head.

"I'm inside…"

"Of what?" Amara frowned.

"The Moderator…" came a quiet answer.

"What? How?" Johnny was puzzled.

"Sue, the entrance is here, you can't be inside," said Reed.

"I know… but still… can you open it?"

Reed rushed to the device and pressed some keys. The door opened and they saw Sue in even bigger shock than before though that was hardly possible.

"How did you get in?" Johnny asked when Sue came to them.

"I dunno," she shook her head and headed a folder to Reed. He automatically took that folder but he was looking at Sue. "I just opened to folder trying to find that information Reed needed and started to walk. I didn't pay much attention where I am going and… um… found myself in the Moderator."

"You just _walked_ through that thing?" Amara's mouth fell.

Sue shook his head and shrugged.

"Well you're not falling through the floor," Johnny chimed in.

"Sue, are you sure about that?" Reed asked carefully.

"I don't know, Reed," Susan shook her head, her voice was desperate.

"Try that again," the scientist suggested.

Sue nodded unsurely and came towards Reed's table; everyone else didn't take their eyes off of her. She took a deep breath, looked at her right hand and touched the table with her fingers, but when her hand was supposed to stop, it didn't and went right through the table.

"Sweet," Johnny let out his breath.

Sue took her hand away.

"Guys, but," Amara spoke after a while, "Ben must be too…"

"Ben!" Sue exclaimed and rushed towards the exit. Everyone else followed her.

"That reminds me of two years earlier," Johnny shook his head. "How we discovered our powers… except for Ben has nothing to lose now… he's like 'end station' now."

The guy was sure Sue would say something to him, and Reed too, but no one even noticed what he said.

"Are you sure he's in his room?" Reed asked Sue.

"Yes, he said he was tired and wanted to go to bed," his wife nodded.

Soon enough they were near Ben's room but it was closed. Reed listened carefully but everything was quiet.

"Okay," Sue took a deep breath and walked through the door.

"Sweet," Johnny said again. "Now even locking up won't help."

"Hey, did she forget we're here?" Amara asked after a while.

But at that very moment the door opened and they all came in. Johnny's mouth dropped open when he looked at the bed.

"Who's that?" Johnny heard Amara's voice.

"Ben?" Reed's eyes almost popped out.

Ben Grimm was absolutely human and asleep on his enormous bed which seemed now even larger in comparison to him.

"That's Ben?" Amara turned to Reed. "Oh, right, I forgot, I saw his 'before' picture in his profile."

"Big Guy's back?" Johnny looked at Reed too.

But Reed didn't listen to them. He came to Ben's bed and carefully shook his shoulder, "Ben, Ben, wake up. Ben!"

"Oh come on!" Johnny snorted and came to bed too. "Officer's on board!" he yelled.

Ben immediately opened his eyes and sat up.

"Pilot Grimm is…" he started but soon it snapped. "Damn it, Matchstick!"

"Ben, are you okay?" Sue asked carefully.

"What's wrong, Sue? Why wouldn't I be?" he lifted his hands and his gaze locked at his left arm. "What the…?" Ben looked at his another arm and then touched his face. "Is that… me?"

"Looks like it," Reed answered unsurely.

"What did you do?" Ben looked at his friend.

"Nothing, Ben, it seems like something's happening with out powers."

"Is that forever?" Ben was eager.

"Have no idea…"

"Look, guys," Sue interrupted, "why won't we all go back to the lab and try to figure that out?"

About five minutes later they were back in the laboratory. Ben had to put a towel on his waist because all clothes were too big for him now. When they were passing by a huge mirror he stopped and looked at himself with pure happiness in his eyes.

"I wouldn't be that glad if I were you," Johnny couldn't stay quiet, "I would start to work out right now."

But Ben didn't respond. Johnny huffed trying to hide his disappointment and heard Amara giggle.

"What?" he turned to her.

The girl let out another laugh and shook her head with a smile. Johnny smirked too and followed her into the lab.

"So am I human now?" Ben asked immediately once they were in.

"Well, you look like a human but of course we need to research into that…"

"Reed, but whatever happened needed a trigger, right?" Sue looked at her husband. "Like that Surfer…"

"Not necessarily," Reed shook his head. "That may be just a mutation that happens with time…"

In the meantime Johnny was watching Ben getting to know his own body again and was examining his arms. He tightened his right fist and hand muscles and suddenly his arm went rocky. But the process stopped when it reached his shoulder.

"Whoa, guys!" Johnny and Ben exclaimed at once.

"Wow," Amara raised her eyebrows. "What did you do?"

"Just strained my arm," Ben sounded a bit scared. "Will it stay this way?"

"Um… relax your arm?" Amara suggested.

"It is relaxed!"

"Well relax it more," Reed commanded.

Ben frowned but then relaxed his face and closed his eyes. Then he shook his hand a bit and it became normal.

"So now you can control it!" Sue smiled to Ben when he opened his eyes. "You just have to strain your body to activate your powers…"

"…and shake it off like a dog when you don't need them," Johnny finished for her and already prepared himself for running away from Ben but Ben didn't even pay attention to him.

"So our powers have changed?" he asked Reed. "What's different about you guys?"

"Sue just walked through wall," Johnny informed.

"You did?" Ben looked at her with shock on his face. Sue just nodded.

"And you, genius?"

"Um… it looked like I transformed my body into something different then rubber," Reed shrugged, "and Johnny, as I understood, burned the whole park area without flaming on…"

When Reed stopped they all looked at Amara.

"Don't look at me!" Amara raised her hands. "I got my powers different way! And I'm completely fine with what I have now."

"Excuse me, the hologram in the hall said I'll find you here," they heard a voice from the door and turned towards it. Max was standing there.

**So? Guys, please, please, please review! **


	11. Chapter 10

**Hey people, SORRY for keeping you waiting=(((( and THANK YOU to **_**bluestar71**_**, **_**saberis**_**, **_**Nelle07**_**,**_**Gollum4077**_** and **_**Carlypso**_** for reviewing! You guys are amazing!**

"So our powers have changed?" Ben asked Reed. "What's different about you guys?"

"Sue just walked through wall," Johnny informed.

"You did?" Ben looked at her with shock on his face. Sue just nodded.

"And you, genius?"

"Um… it looked like I transformed my body into something different then rubber," Reed shrugged, "and Johnny, as I understood, burned the whole park area without flaming on…"

When Reed stopped they all looked at Amara.

"Don't look at me!" Amara raised her hands. "I got my powers different way! And I'm completely fine with what I have now."

"Excuse me, the hologram in the hall said I'll find you here," they heard a voice from the door and turned towards it. Max was standing there.

Johnny swiftly took a look at Amara and saw her tense.

"I am here to escort Aquamarine to Mayor Woods," Max turned to Amara.

"Excuse me?" Johnny thought he misheard the guy.

"I excuse you," Max flashed a mean grin towards Johnny. "Still, Aquamarine, we need to go."

"There is no way she's going, she's not your property," Johnny snorted.

"Not mine, but the property of the US navy, as a matter of fact," Max crossed his arms.

"You shut up moron!" Johnny clenched his fists and felt the heat building up in his head again. _Well, that's not a bad thing if Max burns now. We can always call it an accident. A lot of things happen in labs after all._

"Johnny, chill," he heard Amara's tired voice. Johnny looked at the girl and she shook her head but that didn't stop him.

"I'll chill when he's out," Johnny gave the other guy a furious look.

"I'm out when Amara's ready," Max seemed stone calm.

"Did you not understand? She's not going anywhere," Johnny repeated.

"Hey, Flamehead, turn it down a bit," Ben's voice sounded warningly.

"Are you with him?" Johnny turned to Ben.

"Oh, come on, we're not in kindergarten," the man rolled his eyes. "There is another way to solve the problem."

"There _is_ no problem, guys," Amara interfered.

"Max," Johnny heard Reed's voice, "I thought that Mayor allowed Aquamarine to stay here as long as she wants."

"The circumstances have changed. Mayor ordered Aquamarine to arrive to the NGA."

"Well I could tell Mayor where exactly he can shove his order," Johnny started but Ben's loud cough made him stop.

"Johnny, calm down, we'll figure that out," Reed tried to reason it.

"Of course we will," there has finally appeared an irritation in Max's voice. "I see you don't understand at all what an _order_ means…"

"Max, stop it," Amara interfered. "They truly _don't_, and you know that. Let's go."

"What? You are going with _him_?" Johnny couldn't believe it. _What the hell is happening? So someone can just come and tell her what to do and she'll do it? _

"I am following an order," Amara sounded really tired.

"This is a free country, you don't have to follow orders," Johnny huffed.

"Johnny, _I_ must do that," the girl let out a small laugh. "That might sound weird, but I am a soldier. A soldier with a fishtail but still a soldier. And I must follow the order of my commanding officer."

Everyone else was quiet. Max was obviously enjoying the effect Amara's words made and members of the Fantastic Four were just trying to get what she just said.

"So I must go now," Amara repeated.

"Alright," Johnny chimed in. "I'm going with you."

Five pairs of wide eyes stared on him.

"What?" the guy shrugged. "It's late, you're tired and I guess you'll need help to get back here when Woods's done with whatever he's gonna tell you."

Max snorted.

"Johnny, I don't _need_ anyone to come with me," Amara crossed her arms and gave him a look.

Johnny huffed. "Aha, sure. Just wait couple of seconds, I'm gonna take a jacket."

"What?"

"A jacket. It might be cold outside and I don't know how long I'll have to wait for you and I don't wanna spend all night in the car so…"

"Did you not understand? You are _not_ going anywhere," Amara was close to shouting.

"I'll be back in a sec," Johnny decided to ignore that and headed towards the exit.

"I said no!" Amara literally yelled that in his back. The guy just huffed again.

"Oh man!" Max's voice was different now and Johnny looked back in surprise.

"Oh shit," he couldn't help it.

Where Amara had been staying was now some transparent silhouette dressed up like Amara, in dark blue jeans and simple white tank top.

"What just happened?" the silhouette asked in Amara's voice.

Everyone else was speechless. 

"Hey, people? I'm waiting!"

"Um, Amara… I guess your powers have changed too," Reed mumbled eyeing the girl.

"Oh sweet! And how do I fix myself back?"

"Have no idea..."

"Look," Ben interfered. "Relax your body. Take a deep breath…"

Amara did and in a second she was back to normal. And her clothes were soaking wet.

_Ooooh, she doesn't wear bra! Nice, nice… how did I let that thing slip __outta my mind before? _

To Johnny's utter disappointment Amara turned to Reed.

"What was that?"

"Um…" the scientist scratched his scalp which looked kind of unprofessional. "I guess you can now turn your body into something resembling water. We still need to research into that…"

"See?" Johnny chimed in. "She can't go anywhere, she needs to…"

"Johnny stop that!" Amara was close to shouting again. "Stop acting like you have to babysit me!"

"But I just wanted…" the guy felt uncomfortable. "Since we're teammates…"

"Go take care after Ben, I don't know, he's your teammate too," she shrugged.

"I just wanted to help, is that a crime?"

"I don't need your help. I can handle everything on my own!"

"But we need to research…"

"There are a lot of scientists in the NGA and they know more about Aquamarine's powers than any other scientist," Max chimed in. Johnny has completely forgotten he's around. "And Aquamarine's not alone," Max added looking at Johnny.

Meanwhile Amara was breathing in and out deeply as if trying to calm herself.

"So," she smiled at them all, "I need to go."

"When will you be back?" Reed asked.

"And what makes you sure she will be back?" Max asked with a fake sweet smile.

Amara frowned and looked at him but just shook her head without answering.

"Um, guys, I had a great time here," she smiled to Reed, Ben and Sue and it looked like she was avoiding Johnny's gaze. "Bye."

Before anyone could say anything Max and Amara left the lab.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Johnny, why won't you go to sleep?"

"Sue, I'm not tired," Johnny answered for a hundredths time.

"It's three a.m., you _must_ be tired," Susan tried to reason her brother.

"I'm not," the guy did his best to fight a yawn. "But you look really tired so you better go to sleep."

Instead of doing that Sue sat next to Johnny on the couch. They both were silent for a while.

"Johnny, if she is back, you will know that, there is no need to wait around."

"I am not waiting for anybody, I'm just not tired yet," he repeated stubbornly.

Sue sighed.

Johnny hated the situation. He felt he was looking pathetic but didn't intend to admit that in front of others. Ben and Reed went to sleep couple of hours ago, shaking their heads, and Sue was still around.

"Look, I'm sure Amara will do her best to come back," Sue said after a while.

Johnny didn't respond.

Finally Sue gave in. "Okay, I'm going to sleep, don't stay too long."

"Good night, sis, sleep well."

"Good night, Johnny. Everything's gonna be alright."

"Don't doubt."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Johnny opened his eyes and looked at the alarm clock. 7 a.m. He swiftly stood up and left the room without even dressing up.

He came to the door next to his and knocked. No response. The guy took a deep breath and typed a code on the panel. The code unlocked all doors in their part of the Baxter and Reed asked them to use it in emergencies only.

The door opened and Johnny saw only Amara's stuff there. The girl was still absent.

_Maybe she's downstairs? _

But all rooms were empty, even Reed's lab.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Her stuff's still here, so she must come back even if just to pick it," Johnny was playing absentmindedly with some devise resembling small kinescope while Sue and Reed were looking at one of the screens and discussing something quietly. "I mean, not that I care much or something, she will just need her stuff, right?"

"Of course she will," Sue answered inattentively and then continued on what she was doing.

Johnny sighed. He was hanging in the lab with Reed and Sue since Ben left to tell Alicia what had happened and Reed and Sue were completely into their own business and Johnny was bored.

But even worse was that he was worrying if Amara's gonna come back. The picture of her leaving accompanied by Max was still in his head and Johnny hated that picture.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

It was 8 p.m. and Johnny was feeling like a tense strand. He was doing his best not to start crushing everything around and set Baxter on fire. He was in the hall sitting on one of the couches and therefore admitting he's waiting for somebody. He was drumming some rhythm with his fingers and looking right before him on the floor.

"Maybe you should go for a flight?"

Johnny winced. Sue was sitting next to him and he hadn't even notice she appeared.

"Flight?" he asked dubiously.

"Well, just chill out?"

"No, thanks, I'm fine," Johnny refused.

"Are you sure?"

"Haven't I told you already?" the guy exclaimed. "Oh, sorry, Sue, sorry… I just…"

"S'okay, Johnny, I'm just worried about you. We all are."

"Oh man! I'm not a kid! Can you guys just back off?" Johnny threw his arms up. "There is no need to worry about me! I'm outta here, I'll be in my room if… whatever."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

_Okay, fine! She wants to be with that Max dork? Fine! Perfect! Awesome! Incredible! I'm glad for them, hope they'll get married, have a girl and a boy, live happily ever after and die in one day. And I'm done!_

Johnny stormed into his bedroom, put a random shirt and jeans on and checked his watches. 11.56 p.m.

_So __what if she's not coming back? Who cares? Well definitely not me! _

He rushed down the stairs and bumped into Ben.

"Oh, you're back, Rocky? Oops, I meant former-Rocky," Johnny asked inattentively.

"Yeah, here I am. Where're you going?"

"How's Alicia? Happy? Now you guys can _finally_ have fun together…"

"Can you think of anything else except that?"

"Maybe. See you around."

"Where are you going?" Ben demanded standing on Johnny's way.

"Oh come on, I'm legal, I can go wherever I wanna go!"

"Just don't tell me you are going to do what I'm thinking?"

"I have no idea what you are thinking. Let me go."

"Okay, Matchhead, just don't get in any trouble. And don't do anything you will regret about."

"Okay, now bye-bye."

After Johnny reached his favorite bar he ordered Jack and started to let go of everything on his mind.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Sun ray went through the window and reached Johnny's closed eyes, the guy frowned and opened them. And immediately shut them back and blinked couple of times.

"Hey baby, you woke up!" an unknown young woman that was standing near the mirror smiled widely at him. "Too bad I gotta go. The night was amazing by the way."

Johnny swallowed the words 'do I know you?'.

"The night?" he asked weakly.

"Yes, you were unbelievable. Just too rough, maybe… but I like it that way! Oh, and, you were saying something about that gem… amethyst?… oh, no, aquamarine… do you always say that? And by the way, your friends are not very friendly… and that girl stared at me like…"

"My friends?" Johnny was trying to get through her babbling. "How do you know them?"

"Well you guys are stars, right? It's fabulous, you know, meeting superheroes in the kitchen! But that girl… I have never seen her on TV, do you have a new member? She's not very beautiful if you ask me… well, maybe just her hair color… like bronze… not bad. But no makeup! I mean, it's twenty-first century, come on!"

Something clicked in Johnny's head, he swiftly put his boxers on, luckily, they were lying nearby, and stood up.

"Hey, I'm not gone yet, where're you going?" the woman put hands on her hips.

"Oh, excuse me, do I have to pay you?" Johnny stopped.

"What? How could you? Do I look like…?"

"Oh, then… um… hope you won't get lost on your way back."

"You… you selfish… stupid…"

But Johnny was already in the passageway.

When he entered the kitchen he was disappointed to see Sue and Ben were the only ones in there.

"Where's Amara?"

"Good morning to you too, Matchhead, by the way, you look awful."

"Shut up," with that Johnny opened the fringe and took a carton with orange juice. "Where are glasses? Ah, whatever," and he started to drink right from it.

"Johnny! Ugh!" Sue frowned.

"Had a bad night?" Ben mocked.

"What is it to you? And where's Amara?"

"Well, I hate to say I told you so, but… I told you so!"

"Look, my head burns, so would you _please_ explain to me what you mean?"

"Um, Johnny," Sue answered for Ben. "Who is that girl that showed up here earlier? I mean, we respect your friends, but…"

"But particularly _that_ friend of yours is awful," Ben finished.

"Oh, I know. She's not a friend," Johnny hesitated for a second and then put the carton back into the fringe. "She won't come here anymore, chill."

"Johnny, again?" Sue sighed. "I thought that we're finally over that period of time when each morning a new girl comes out of your room and I don't know the reason why stopped but we were so glad it did. And now? Will it start over?"

"Oh come on, Sue! It won't happen again, I promise. I'm on my best behavior now! And where is Amara? Is she back?"

"Your new _friend_ told you?" Ben huffed.

"Shut it, Rocky. Is Amara back?"

"Yes, she is," Sue did not look at Johnny.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Johnny tensed.

"Nothing, and she's in the lab with Reed," Ben answered.

"Oh, cool, see ya guys," Johnny smirked and headed towards the exit.

"And put something on," Sue added.

"Sure thing, sis, I'm not an idiot," the guy huffed.

"I doubt it sometimes," Ben snorted.

Johnny came back into his room and found out that his night companion decided to let him know what she thinks of him using her lipstick and his mirror. The guy just chuckled and took some shirt and jeans from his wardrobe, swiftly put them on and left the room.

He couldn't fight a smile when he saw a familiar silhouette in the lab. Amara was sitting at the computer her back towards the door, and didn't notice him coming.

Johnny looked around, Reed was nowhere to be seen and Johnny considered that his luck. But when he started to walk towards her, his steps were apparently way to loud to stay unnoticed. The girl turned around.

"You said it'll take you longer to… oh, it's you," her face fell.

"You anticipated someone else?" Johnny tried to smile.

"Reed," Amara answered turning back to the screen.

"Well, I'm hotter, right?" the guy chuckled trying to make Amara laugh too.

But she didn't respond and didn't take her eyes off of the screen.

"Hey, whassup?" Johnny came to her and leaned against one of the tables.

Still no response.

"Hey, Amara, are you okay?" he started to worry.

"I am always okay," Amara replied dryly.

"Doesn't look like it at all," Johnny smiled, delighted by her even answer. But she went quiet again.

"So, how was it?" Johnny decided to try once more.

"What?" Amara was still looking at the screen and typing something from time to time.

"NGA time."

"Just as usual. Exciting."

"What were you doing there?" the guy was still trying to make her speak.

"Stuff."

"Like what?"

"Like stuff," Amara obviously didn't want to give up her mood.

"Informative… took you long enough, you know, so the 'stuff' must've been interesting," Johnny crossed his arms and looked at the girl anticipating.

"I wouldn't complain."

"When did you come back though?"

"About four a.m. last night, maybe a bit later."

"Oh, really? You must've been really quiet then, 'cause I didn't hear you," he gave her a small smile.

"Yeah, that's an indicator, for sure," Amara huffed.

"What d'you mean?" Johnny frowned.

"Well you were way too busy last night to pay attention to whatever is happening around," the girl finally looked up at Johnny and he saw the same expression of disgust he saw in the park the other day.

The guy bit his lip. He started to feel uncomfortable.

"Hey, what Sue probably told you is wrong, I swear, last night I didn't…" he started but Amara interrupted him.

"Sue didn't tell me anything, I saw it myself," her voice was harsh.

"What? When?"

"Last night I… when I came back here I decided to talk to you first to say… um… I mean," she swallowed, "I knew it was late but your door wasn't closed so I came in and you were there…"

"Oh boy," Johnny whispered to himself.

"I didn't see much, don't worry," she made a face.

"Look, what you saw there… I mean, I don't remember actually what you saw because I honestly wasn't myself…" he tried to explain but Amara rolled her eyes.

"Well if you wasn't yourself then whatever was controlling your body was definitely enjoying the process."

Johnny almost whined.

"But what I loved best was the next part," Amara stood up to face Johnny. "Have a new pet name, don't I?"

"What?" he honestly didn't get it.

"Labfish."

"What?" Johnny repeated misunderstanding.

"Your friend asked you who I am and you said I'm Reed's new favorite labfish," the girl added with a smile that looked more like a feral green.

"No… no, I wouldn't do that," Johnny shook his head.

"Well you did."

"But I couldn't!"

"Obviously could too."

"But I can't remember that!" the guy was still struggling.

"Well _I_ can," her eyes were angry and narrow, like cat's.

Johnny covered his head with his hands. "I swear I will never drink again," he murmured to himself.

"Good for you," Amara huffed and sat back onto the chair in front of the computer.

Johnny took a deep breath.

"Look, Amara, I'm sorry…"

"We made a deal, remember? No more 'sorries'," her eyes were still on the screen.

"So you're not angry with me?" Johnny smiled happily.

"Of course I'm not…"

"Oh, God, thank you…"

"… why would I be? This is your house, your room, your bed and why would I care who you put on it?" Amara continued; her words like razors. "And I definitely have no reasons to be angry with you at all."

"Look, look, you got that wrong…"

"Wrong? No, last night was an absolutely 'Johnny Storm style' night, I got everything pretty much correctly," her voice started to shake a bit like she couldn't keep that indefinite tone she started with.

"Look you don't know me," Johnny tried again but failed.

"I don't know you?" Amara almost jumped on her feet. "No, I know all I need to know about you, I knew that all along, even before I met you," she was getting louder and louder. "And I'm about to hate myself now after I let myself even talk to you, I don't understand what you were trying to get with all those conversations and… and that… trip to the dolphinarium, but now I know you're not worth even a word."

"Hey, hey! And how 'bout the fact that _you_ left with Max and I didn't even know whether you will come back or not?" Johnny's voice went louder too.

"Yeah, and that's such an amazing reason to go find some whore and sleep with her!" the girl made a sardonic face. "'sides, I didn't leave with Max, I got an order from my commander."

"Excuses, excuses…" Johnny made a face.

"Well excuses is what you put up for sleeping with that tramp!"

"You didn't even let me tell you I'm sorry!"

"Yeah, because you are _not_ sorry!"

"You don't know me!"

"Oh no, _again_?"

"Just forgive me!"

"Look, you can sleep with anyone you want, why would _I_ care?"

"That won't happen again, I promise! But you… you just left and…"

"Tell your story to somebody who _cares_," Amara spit.

Johnny wanted to say something but a wave of heat went from the back of his head to his eyes and he had to close them, even though now the wave didn't bring pain, so they both became silent.

"Johnny, are you okay?"

The guy opened his eyes in surprise, because the voice wasn't Amara's, it belonged to Alicia. He looked at Amara and saw she was surprised with Alicia's presence too.

"Why would you ask that? You don't see me."

"Well I was eager to find out what happens next between you guys and then you unexpectedly went quiet," Alicia was stone calm as always. "Hello, Amara."

"Um, hi," the girl was confused.

"How long are you here?" Johnny asked Alicia suspiciously.

"Quite a while but you are completely into each other and didn't notice me. Oh, and I wanted to ask you when did you guys started to date?"

"Wha-?" Johnny's mouth fell open.

"We are not dating," Amara answered swiftly.

"Oh, seriously? Because now you sounded like a boyfriend and a girlfriend having an argument that will of course be successfully over and you will live happily ever after."

Not knowing what to say Johnny looked at Amara and saw her blushing deep scarlet.

"Hey, guys, what are you doing?" Reed chimed in as he appeared in the lab.

No one responded but Reed didn't seem to care much.

"You okay, Amara? No seizures?" the scientist turned towards Amara after he put some mechanisms on the table.

"Seizures?" Johnny looked at her too.

"Well, yeah, they happen to Amara sometimes after the tests she undergoes in the NGA…" Reed started to explain but Johnny interrupted him.

"They made tests on you? Again?" he felt anger building up in him.

"Yes and…" Reed started again but this time it was Amara who stopped him.

"Johnny and Alicia don't have to know that," she said firmly, "they won't get it anyway, it's science."

"Oh, you are right, I don't understand a bit," Alicia smiled. "I will go see Ben."

"And Johnny was going to leave too," Amara added.

"Actually I wasn't…"

"_Actually _I don't think you will be interested… and we are doing something _really_ important now so I think you should really leave_,"_ Reed said apologetically while Amara turned back towards the screen.

Johnny looked at her back and left the lab.

**So? I'm thinking of adding some action in the next chapter=) if you guys review I will be ashamed to keep you waiting and will update faster! So PLEASE give me some love! Or hate… or whatever, just tell me what you think!**


	12. Chapter 11

**Hey, people! I know you probably hate me for keeping you waiting, I really am sorry for that =((( but here is the next chapter… and don't hate me for this one too. I confess I am really not that experienced in describing action scenes so please use all your imagination to picture what's written here… and let's pretend something like that can actually happen… I mean, they're superheroes, right? Plus we don't write about reality… okay, just don't hate me plese! I promise to try to keep it more real in the next chapter.**

**Oh, and thanks to **_**KayleyBautista**_**, **_**bluestar71**_**, **_**rook**_** and **_**prboricua7**_** for reviews! **

"You know, man, if we continue on like that, you will have to get used to me as a member of your future family," Johnny snorted looking at Ben eating a burger. They were hanging out in the kitchen and Johnny was hesitating whether he is hungry or not.

"You mean if you continue following me around like a tagalong?" Ben raised his eyebrow.

"Uh-huh. You are gonna miss me when you get married so you'll have no choice but to take me with you to your happily ever after."

"Is that how you wanna end up?" Ben laughed. "I can see that on first pages already," he made a dreamy face.

"Sometimes I think that's how it will end for me," Johnny replied suddenly seriously.

Ben noticed that and his expression changed too.

"Still no change?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Johnny winced.

"Okay, keep it on and you _will_ end up like someone's tagalong," Ben huffed. "It's been almost two weeks since your last 'night out'…"

"That one was definitely enough for me, thank you very much," the guy snorted and then sighed. "Just don't tell me you told me so."

"Oh like that will have any effect. I just don't wanna waste my words anymore, you will never change."

Johnny bit his lip and remained quiet for some time.

"Is there really no chance?"

"On what?"

"That I will ever change?" Johnny looked straight at Ben.

Ben was speechless for a minute.

"Well… if you want to…" he started unsurely, "anyone can change."

"Even me?" Johnny let out a small sad laugh.

"You are not hopeless…"

"Wow, I should somehow save this moment for history! _You_ said I'm not hopeless!" the guy exclaimed.

"Oh well maybe I was too quick to say that!" Ben snorted.

Johnny sighed. "Whatever."

"Where's Sue?" Ben asked after a while.

"Dunno. Somewhere here," the younger man shrugged.

"There's something wrong going on with her lately… have you noticed?" Ben asked with worry.

"Actually yeah, I have…"

"Don't you care where she is now?"

"Actually…"

"That was a hint, by the way…"

"Oh how can you do this to me? Cruel you!" Johnny exclaimed dramatically but still stood up from the stool and headed to the exit.

He found Sue in the living room. She was watching TV but Johnny saw by her empty eyes that she was rather absentminded.

"Hey sis," he sat into the nearby armchair.

"Oh, hey," she winced. "How're you?"

"Fine… you?" Johnny was eyeing his sister attentively.

"Me? oh… I am fine… yeah, I am…"

"May I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Who are you trying to fool?" the guy crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"There is something wrong with you lately."

"I don't understand. I am absolutely fine."

"Come on, Sue," Johnny gave her a look. "We all know you better than that, even Ben noticed that something's not right with you lately, even with all his 'oh I'm human again' euphoria."

"I'm happy for Ben," Sue answered blankly.

"I wasn't talking about him," her brother tilted his head and crossed his arms.

"Yeah, right, not about him… you know what," she stood up, "I need to go, have tons to do, see you later!" with that she rushed away.

"Oh, gee, will the life here finally be normal?" Johnny asked silence dramatically and then stood up too.

He felt the utter lack of another place atmosphere and soon enough Johnny was on the roof of the Baxter dressed up in his suit, he flamed on and headed for Malaysia.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

When Johnny entered the kitchen next morning Sue was yet again the only one in there.

"Hey sis," he quickly grabbed a glass of juice from Sue's hands. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Sue huffed. "I spit into it."

"What?" Johnny chocked.

"What? I spit into the juice I was about to drink," the woman crossed her arms.

"No… I meant…" Johnny swallowed in. "You said that… that's weird."

"Well… there're a lot of weird things happening around lately," Sue opened another carton.

"Like?" Johnny looked at her.

"Nothing."

"Come on! What's wrong, Sue?"

"Nothing," she repeated.

"Sue! What. Is. Wrong?"

"Alright everything!" suddenly Sue tossed a carton and it smashed into a wall.

"Whoa, whoa! Sue chill!" Johnny ran to her and grabbed her shoulders to make Sue face him. "What's up? What happened?"

"Amara! She happened!" Sue yelled.

"Wh-wait… what does _she_ have to do with all that?"

"Reed!" Sue's voice was still piercingly high.

"Reed? And what's with Reed?" Johnny really wasn't getting it.

Sue took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Have you seen them?" she finally said.

"Who? Amara? Well," Johnny scratched his scalp. "We haven't been on speaking terms lately…"

"Yes, _her,_" Sue's face was pure disgust. "And Reed."

"And what's with Reed? Come on, Sue, I don't get it!"

"They are constantly in the lab. All the time!" Sue was starting to shout again. "Together! Just two of them!" she was starting to get hysterical.

"Well, Reed's always in the lab…" Johnny started trying to keep his voice even. What Sue was hinting on seemed hideous.

"But now they're _together_! And every time I come in they shut up and start another talk in fake voices!"

"Sue, that's ridiculous!" he chuckled.

"No, that's not! She's now the one helping him wit his researches not me!" Sue did start do yell. "Some hot chick just comes around and Reed's like a puppy dog with her now!"

"Pfft, Sue, I doubt Reed even notices her looks. Only under a microscope-"

"But they're together," Sue's voice trailed off and she squeezed her head with her arms and bent down.

"What? You okay?" Johnny bent down to her. "Sue!"

"I'm fine, fine…" she whispered. "Shouldn't shout now…"

"Sue, are you sick?" Johnny helped her to sit down.

"No, no, I'm fine," she smiled weakly. "Fine…"

She gulped and Johnny noticed tears starting to appear in her eyes.

"Oh what now, Sue?" he almost whined.

"Johnny, I'm pregnant," Sue whispered barely hearable.

"You whaaa- pregnant? Wow," he sat down on the floor.

"Yes, and I don't know what to do…"

"If there is a boy, name him Johnny!"

"I'm not sure I should leave… it… now."

"Sue… Sue, you are positively sick!" Johnny jumped on his feet. "How can you think so? Did you tell Reed?"

"No… and I won't…"

"You are… I can't even say who you are! I'll go talk to Reed and you'll see that's all just your imagination!"

"Johnny, don't-!"

"Wait here!"

Johnny rushed through the passageway and towards the lab. When he entered it the space seemed empty.

Johnny frowned misunderstanding.

_Okay… where the hell then is Reed? Or Amara?_

He started to walk through the room.

"Oh, finally, what took you so long?" he heard Amara's voice behind him.

Johnny turned around and his eyes widened. Amara was there and she was in her underwear only.

"Shit!" she squeaked and covered her bra with her arms.

Johnny didn't manage to say anything he was too busy staring at the girl's black shorts-like panties.

"Shit!" Amara repeated again and suddenly turned into that water-like statue Johnny saw couple of weeks ago.

Now her body was transparent but that didn't help much. Johnny still could see her silhouette plus now it seemed like bra and panties are flying in mid-air.

"What are you doing here?" Amara asked angrily.

"What are you doing here _naked_?" Johnny snapped. "FYI Reed's married and they are happy and Sue's pregnant…"

"Sue's pregnant? Wow…"

"Oh sh- look, I didn't tell you…" Johnny bit his lip.

"Then why does Reed act like always?"

"What d'you mean 'like always'? Cheats on Sue with you?" the guy crossed his arms.

"Are you okay?" Amara's voice sounded surprisingly quiet. "You know NGA has good psychiatrists, I can arrange you an appointment…"

"Stop that shit!" Johnny snapped.

"Hey, Amara, I fixed your costume…" Johnny turned around and saw Reed walking in with Amara's costume in his hands. "Oh hey Johnny… how did you get here? Haven't I shut the doors?"

"Well apparently you haven't," Amara huffed and took the costume from Reed's hands.

It immediately went transparent too.

"Sweet," Amara snorted. "And what am I gonna do now?"

"Um, what's going on?" Johnny felt confused yet again.

"Oh, I just made some attachments to Amara's costume, now it will react to changes in her DNA just like ours. Which means it will turn into the same substance Amara's body turns into."

"Happy now?" the girl turned towards Johnny.

"So you guys are not…"

"No, we're _not_!"

"Not what?" Reed asked curiously.

"Nothing," Johnny huffed.

A loud beeping sound made them all jump.

"What the hell?" Johnny shouted.

Reed didn't answer anything; he ran towards the biggest monitor and then checked something in his computer; the sound stopped.

"An earthquake on Hokkaido" he yelled a second later. "Get ready now! All!"

"What's that?" Johnny yelled back.

"One of the Japanese islands," Amara answered for Reed.

"Johnny, get ready and get on the roof now!" Reed commanded.

The guy nodded and ran towards the door.

"Amara, can I ask you to com with us?" he heard behind his back.

"Me? but… Webby…"

"Amara…"

"Okay, I'll go."

Johnny was the first one on the roof but the others joined him in seconds.

"Johnny, you fly yourself!" Reed commanded sitting into one of the sits behind Ben who was driving.

"Flame on!" Johnny yelled immediately and felt familiar rush of heat and then the push of the air. He couldn't help smiling.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Um, Reed?" Johnny looked around when he landed near Fantasticar. "Are you sure there's been an earthquake? 'Cuz it doesn't look like it."

He looked around again. Houses weren't damaged, trees weren't broken, there were no dead people in sight… actually, people were more than alright, and right now they were gathering around the team staring at them with wide eyes.

"Reed?" Sue looked at her husband.

"Something _must_ have happened," Reed frowned and scratched his scalp.

"Well, let's ask someone," Johnny shrugged. "Hey, excuse me, did anything happen recently?" he asked a man near him.

The man answered something in Japanese.

"Um, English, please?"

All he got was more Japanese.

"Looks like they don't speak English!" the guy exclaimed after a while.

"What a surprise," Amara snorted.

Johnny turned to her amused. He actually forgot she was there.

"I mean, it's Japan, come on!" Johnny went on. "They make robots here!"

"Johnny, it's a _village_," Amara gave him a sarcastic look. "D'you expect them all to be rocket scientists?"

"Guys, chill," Ben chimed in. "Reed already found someone to ask."

"Yes, yes, earthquake!" a middle-aged man nodded several times. "Not big. Small. We okay, happens often!"

"Way to go, genius," Johnny chuckled and crossed his arms. "Such a long way and here we get nothing…" he trailed off because he noticed a group of children near him. They were jumping in excitement and squeaking something, apparently greeting Johnny and asking to do something cool. Soon a crowd like that formed around Ben too and they both became very busy.

"So? May we go now?" Sue asked her husband.

"Oh boy," Reed whispered looking at his computer with wide eyes.

"What?" Sue looked on the small screen too.

"What is it, Reed?" Ben came up to him, the kids followed.

The scientist didn't respond. He was checking something in the computer and didn't pay attention to Ben and to the others gathering around him.

"Reed, what is wrong?" Johnny demanded.

"Amara?…" Reed started.

"I think that's right," the girl answered his unsaid question. Johnny looked at her surprised, Amara's voice sounded scared and dull, like doomed.

"But my estimates…" Reed looked at her desperately.

"Look at the water," she said in the same voice.

Johnny did as she said and thought he's having delusions. The water was moving away from the coastline.

"Is that you?" he turned to Amara.

She shook her head.

Johnny noticed people around were screaming loudly and though the guy didn't understand a word they were saying he could swear they are afraid. Some of them were falling on their knees and crying, parents were hugging their kids.

"What is going on?" he screamed above the noise.

"Tsunami," Sue whispered but everyone heard that.

"What?" Johnny turned to her.

"That is what happens before the tsunami. Water moving away."

"So that is what Reed's computer was telling us?

"Looks like it," Susan was starting to shiver. Johnny noticed her putting her arms on her stomach.

"And what are we doing now?" Ben chimed in.

"Amara?" Reed started and looked at the girl. Sue, Ben and Johnny did the same.

Amara looked up at them and there was horror in her eyes. She wasn't moving and was just staring at them and Johnny felt shivers traveling down his spin from that look.

"Reed, what do you want?" Ben demanded.

"Amara…" Reed started again and it snapped in Johnny's head.

"No!" he yelled. "She won't!"

"You want Amara to stop that?" Ben's eyebrows went up.

"I want her to try…"

"You are sending her to death!" Johnny exclaimed.

Reed ignored him and came up to Amara who still didn't say a word.

"Will you try?" he asked.

She started to shake her head, at first slowly, but then more and more hoarse.

"No…" she whispered barely hearable. "No, I can't… No."

"Reed, stop that!" Johnny came up to them. "She won't do that, she can die!"

"People can die!" Reed exclaimed. "That is not about us!"

"She doesn't have to do that! She can die!" he repeated.

"Johnny what we are doing is not just showing off on TV and making money!"

"Well that's 'we', not Amara!" Johnny didn't want to give up.

"The more you have, the more you will have to give, Johnny! If Amara has this gift, she should do what she can!"

"But she didn't get it by accident, like, God's gift or higher calling-" the guy started.

"Johnny, stop," Amara's calm voice interrupted him. "Reed's right, it's not just about me."

"But…" he tried to say something but his head was empty.

"s'okay," the girl gave him a small smile. "We'll all have to die one day."

"But…"

Amara took a deep breath, then turned away and ran towards the water. Meanwhile it was already about 30 feet away from it's original coastline.

"Sue," Reed broke the silence, "put a force field behind her."

"Reed, it won't help if…" Sue shook her head, "if she… um… fails…"

Johnny didn't pay attention to what they were saying. He was staring at Amara, she was now following the water as close as she could. The guy wasn't taking his eyes off of her and wasn't blinking and his eyes started to water.

_Why the hell am I __standing here?_

"Flame on!" he yelled.

"Johnny, no!" he only heard Sue until all sounds were off for him.

He flew up and was over the water in no time. He stopped and looked down.

_Okay, if something goes wrong I can get there and take her… shit, she'll burn! Well, she doesn't feel pain so it will be okay…crap, how the__ hell will I be able to grab her if the water will be all over her? Hate that water, hate that!_

He looked away and saw all those people; waiting, staring at the water… Johnny bit his lip.

_I will die with them._

Amara stopped. The water was still moving away but it looked like the girl was waiting for something. Johnny wanted to follow the water but then swiftly flew down to Amara.

The girl winced when his flames went off and he landed near her.

"You shouldn't be here," she said quickly looking forward.

"You okay?" Johnny ignored her words.

"I am fine, go away."

"Look…"

"Go away," Amara repeated still not looking at him.

"Do you hate me so much?"

"Johnny, if you don't go away now…" she trailed off.

"What? You will kill me? Or yell at me?" the guy scoffed.

"I may ask you to take me with you," Amara finally looked up at him and Johnny saw she was almost crying.

"Please go away," the girl whispered barely hearable and looked away again. "Go away until I am too cowardly to stay."

Johnny lifted his arm to reach her when she tensed.

"Go! Now!" Amara yelled. "Now! Now!"

Johnny wasn't able to do or say anything when the loudest sound he ever heard reached his ears. He looked up above Amara's head and saw a huge wave coming towards them. It was moving and growing bigger and bigger. Johnny was stuck.

Amara lifted her arms up and the wave stopped about fifteen feet before them. Johnny almost let out a sigh of relief when he noticed that the wave was still growing. It wasn't moving but it was getting bigger.

The guy could definitely see Amara's arms shaking. A second later she fell on her knees.

It looked like Amara put some kind of a wall, a big one, that was covering the coast from all sides, and the wave wasn't able to break through it. Still it was growing and now it was about forty feet high.

All Johnny could look at was the wave. The water. That deadly thing that never lets him protect himself. That never lets safe fire surround him. He hated even water in swimming pools. And here it was ocean. The whole ocean trying to kill him.

"Flame on!" he yelled unable to stand that any longer.

_Coward. Coward!_

Johnny flew up and saw a picture that scared him even more than the one he saw from down there. He saw the whole amount of water, tons of it; that huge mass that Amara was fighting with right now.

His thoughts were chaotic.

_Grab her and fly as fast as I can? And leave all those people die? Along with Sue? And her baby? And Reed, Ben?__ I promised myself to die with them…_

Johnny bit his lip. He was almost physically feeling that fear that was all around him. Those people. Sue. Guys. And he himself was scared to death.

_That's all. No way Amara can fight that, Reed was mistaken. She__'ll die. People there will die. I will die._

Water wall was growing on and on.

_But I can__ still save her now. Amara. And myself. We don't have to die. She can't save us all but two saved lives are better than nothing. _

At the very moment that thought ended the water wall suddenly stopped to grow. An unusual silence filled Johnny's ears; the roar of the water was gone. And then in a split second the barrier disappeared. The water filled it's rightful space, it gushed back and forth, left, right, everywhere.

Full of awe Johnny turned his head to the coast. The wave hit it but it wasn't the big one. It went was just couple of feet closer to the houses on the beach than the normal one.

And then the ocean became calm.

Unable to fight the smile Johnny looked down at the water and his face fell. Amara was nowhere to be seen, all he could see was calm surface of the Pacific Ocean.

**So? Please write something!**


	13. Chapter 12

**Hello people=))) here comes the next chapter and huge thanks to **_**rook**_**, **_**bluestar71**_**, **_**Cari**_**, **_**Gollum4077**_** and **_**prboricua7**_** for reviewing, you guys are THE BEST!**

"Johnny, calm down, we'll find her, I'm sure," Ben was trying to reason his younger teammate for the hundredth time in two and a half hours. He was sitting on the driver's seat of the Fantasticar and Johnny just climbed into it. They were somewhere above the Pacific Ocean.

"Where? Near another country?" Johnny huffed. He was soaking wet because he just came out of the water, he gave up heating his body long ago, what was the point if he was coming back in the ocean again and again. "What's near, by the way?"

"Russia. Look, you really need to rest, you are not the best swimmer and you look really tired," Ben was trying to keep his voice as calm as he could.

"Shut it," the younger man responded. "Any news from Reed?"

Reed and Sue stayed in the village, on the beach, to be exact, and were trying to locate Amara via Reed's portable computer. They were sending estimated coordinates to the Fantasticar and Johnny and Ben went to search there. But that didn't give any use.

"Nope," Ben shook his head examining Johnny's face.

The younger Storm looked exhausted. He had dark circles under his eyes, and it was taking him longer and longer to catch his breath between dives. And he definitely wasn't the best swimmer around, as Ben had already mentioned. Ben tried to persuade Johnny to rest and drive for some time while he will dive, but Johnny refused.

"Ben!" they heard Sue's excited voice, "get here. Now! We found her!"

"Where is she?" Johnny asked quickly.

"Here, on the beach! Be quick, guys!"

"Hold tight, Matchstick!" Ben warned and started the engine.

The Fantasticar didn't even stop when Johnny jumped out and ran towards the crowd that formed near the water. He made his way to the centre of it, thanks to his height, and saw Reed and Sue on their knees next to Amara, that wasn't conscious. Her lower part until her ribs was in water.

"Can we transport her in Fantasticar?" Sue asked Reed. Neither of them noticed Johnny.

"I don't know, honestly," Reed was examining Amara's throat. "They disappeared, but they may appear again…"

"We should keep her out of water…" Sue suggested.

"I am not sure," scientist shook his head. "In her current condition that might be fatal. But we still need to get her in the lab…"

"What's going on?" Ben chimed in.

Johnny was just standing there speechless. He was too tired to even feel happiness that Amara is here.

"Guys," Sue finally noticed them. "Looks like we have some difficulties…"

"But she's alive?" Ben frowned.

"Yes, the pulse's there, but she had gills. They have just disappeared, I am afraid they might appear again… and if we won't have any water around in that moment…," Reed trailed off.

"She transformed herself into a mermaid?"

"Not exactly, just, well, partially… if you can say so…"

"Reed, we need to get her out of the water and in the Baxter and we need to do that fast. Maybe we'll still have chances… I mean, she will have chances," Sue looked at her husband.

"I'm not sure… I mean, they made her extremely survivable, but still…"

"Guys, if there is a chance, let's use it," Johnny finally managed to interfere.

Reed looked at him, considering something, and then nodded.

"Ben, carry her…"

"I will carry her," Johnny stepped closer.

"No, you are too tired," Ben shook his head. "Besides, you will still need to fly back home."

"Ben, just…," Sue took a deep breath, "her legs are…"

"Jesus!" Ben exclaimed when Amara's lower part was out of the water.

Her legs, or the place were legs were supposed to be, were covered in scales. The pattern was chaotic, in some places scales were missing, in some places there were spots of scales… and she didn't have feet. Her scales covered ankles were grown together until her knees.

Words were stuck in Johnny's mouth.

Some of the people around screamed.

"Plus she had gills when we found her…Looks like the transformation started but didn't get a chance to finish itself," Reed was explaining on their way to the Fantasticar.

Johnny was eyeing Ben attentively as he was placing Amara next to Sue. Susan put Amara's head on her knees.

"Ben, make it as fast as you can," Reed said as he sat down behind Sue.

"Sure thing," Ben nodded.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Well, technically she needs to be transformed either in her human form, or mermaid form," Reed was saying on their way to the lab. He was saying it mostly to Sue while Ben was carrying Amara.

Johnny was following him struggling with the noise in his ears and dizziness. He had to admit he was tired like hell. On his way home he was afraid he will fall down, he has never flown for so long in his life. The fact that he was swimming for about two hours before that didn't make that any easier as well.

"Will you be able to do that?" Ben asked.

_Do what?_ Johnny's thoughts were dull. _Oh, transform Amara, right. _

"Um…" Reed started unsurely, "I don't know," he confessed and shook his head.

"Well, there is only one way, we should put her in water," Sue suggested.

"Guess so," Reed nodded.

As they entered the lab Ben headed towards the bath-like basin that Reed put in the lab specially for Amara when she joined them. Ben carefully put the girl in there.

"Okay guys, now leave," Sue commanded as she came up.

"Why?" Reed looked at her misunderstanding.

"You got some towels in here, right?" Sue ignored him.

"Yeah, there," the man nodded towards one of the shelves near the wall. "Why do we have to leave?"

"Because I need to undress her, Reed," Susan answered tiredly. "It will be better if she will be without her costume, I will wrap her in the towel. But maybe that's okay with you if she's naked around you," she huffed sorely.

Reed frowned misunderstanding and looked at his wife, "What?"

"Nothing, guys, leave the lab please, that will take five minutes," Sue took a towel and looked at them again.

"Okay, we're out, call us when you're done," Ben nodded and dragged his barely moving teammates out of the lab.

"What the hell did Sue just say?" Ben looked at Reed when they were in the living room.

"Have no idea," Reed shook his head. "Didn't get it myself."

"Matchhead?" Ben looked at the younger man. "What did she mean?"

"Who?" Johnny winced. He was sitting in the armchair and doing his best not to let his eyes close.

"Sue," Ben crossed his arms.

"Sue what?" Johnny was losing it.

"Look, Matchstick, you better go to sleep, you are dead on your feet," Ben told him worriedly.

"I'm okay, I need to make sure…" Johnny was speaking slowly.

"Guys," Sue came in, she looked relieved, "she changed."

"Human?" Johnny tried to stand up but managed only to raise his head to look at his sister.

"Mermaid," she shook head. "But a normal one, she transformed herself completely."

"Is she conscious?" asked Reed.

"No. But her gills work normally, you can see the air coming through them, so it looks like she's just asleep."

"Okay…" Reed took a deep breath. "I think we all should go to sleep now too…"

"And leave her alone?" Johnny looked at him angrily. "First you put her through that and now…"

"Johnny, calm down," Sue chimed in. "Reed's right, we can't do anything now."

"I'll stay in the lab and keep an eye on her…"

"Johnny, you must go to sleep, you look exhausted!"

"I'm fine," the guy repeated stubbornly. "I'll be in the lab."

Not listening to anyone he headed to the lab. As he entered it the first thing he saw was a mermaid wrapped in a white towel lying in a transparent basin.

_Yeah, Baxter Building is an absolutely ordinary place. Nothing unusual._

Johnny chuckled dully and sat onto one of the chair keeping Amara in sight. He couldn't find any thought in his head and was just staring in one direction absentmindedly. Soon he drifted into a sleep without noticing it.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

It was like something hit him and Johnny opened his eyes. For a moment he couldn't understand where he is but after he looked around he remembered everything that happened. Johnny quickly

looked at the basin, Amara was still there.

He stood up, frowning at the stiffness in his body, and came up to her.

Amara was lying there, her eyes closed and her gills were moving calmly letting the oxygen go in and out.

_What time is it?_

At that moment Amara opened her eyes. That was unexpected and Johnny stepped back in shock.

It looked like Amara was in shock too. Her eyes were wide and her pupils wandered from side to side apparently trying to identify the place where she is. Their eyes locked and the girl frowned misunderstanding.

Seconds later she touched her gills with right arm, then the towel she was wrapped in and then scales on her tail. She closed her eyes and Johnny thought he was still asleep because what was happening next simply couldn't be real.

The flipper in the end of her tail divided in two and disappeared in her tail that was meanwhile dividing in two as well. Scales were hiding under her skin and soon there was no tail, just two normal human legs.

The gills were just growing over, like scratches heal, just extremely fast. When it all ended Amara sat down in the water.

Johnny looked at her like she was an alien that just came out of UFO.

"Are we alive?" she asked quietly.

"Yes."

A small smile touched her lips.

"Good."

Amara took a deep breath and started to slowly stand up, at first on her knees. So far it was okay, but when she tried to stand on her feet her left leg slipped and she lost her balance.

"Carefully!" Johnny yelled and tried to catch her but failed. The girl fell down and through the splash Johnny heard a clear 'duhm' – that could be only her head hitting the bottom of the basin.

"Hey, hey, you okay?" Johnny lifted the girl by her arms.

She sat down again and touched her head. "I don't bleed so that's okay," Amara huffed. "Sorry, your suit's wet…"

The guy smiled and heated himself a bit. The water evaporated.

"Nice," Amara smiled too.

"Here, let me help you," Johnny shoved his right hand under Amara's knees as his left one was already around her back and lifted her bridal style.

He felt his muscles tense, he was still tired.

"Thanks, put me down," the girl asked.

"You're tired, you can't walk" Johnny protested.

"You look tired too," she chuckled lightly. "Put me down, I'm fine."

"Stubborn," the guy murmured to himself and did as Amara said. "You are wet to the skin too, I'd help you but I'll burn the towel."

"Nah, I got some tricks too," with that she started to slowly raise her hand clenching the fist gradually and soon she was dry.

"We do have something in common," Johnny smiled again. He had a strange feeling, like ease. He was still tired and thoughts in his head were still chaotic, but at the same time he was somehow in harmony with the universe.

"Can't say you're wrong," Amara smiled back.

All the time Johnny wasn't letting go of the girl, his arm was on her waist, ready to catch her if she starts to fall. Amara didn't seem to mind.

"Where's everyone?" she asked.

"Have no idea," the guy shrugged. "Last time I saw them was… uh… hours ago and they all went to their rooms."

"And you came here," that wasn't a question.

"Yeah, um…" Johnny looked at the floor trying to find an answer. He didn't succeed but Amara didn't say anything either.

"You do look tired, you know," she said after a while. "You need to go to bed."

"And you?"

"I'd like to have some normal sleep too," the girl huffed. "So we better go to our rooms."

"Okay," Johnny shrugged. "Sure you want to walk?"

The girl nodded.

His arm was still around her waist and remained there during their way upstairs. They didn't talk at all.

"Thanks," Amara said when they came to her room.

"That's nothing," the guy let go of her waist. "You want me to help you… um… in your room?"

"No, I'll be fine," Amara shook her head. "I meant thank you not just for walking me here, I mean… in Japan you tried to… I remember…"

"Well, it all turned out okay in the end, right?" Johnny smiled. Now he could feel it, that happiness that they're all alive, no one died, they're home and he will now go to bed.

"Yeah, in the end," Amara didn't smile. "Bye," she said swiftly and entered the room.

Still smiling Johnny went to his room and flopped onto his bed right in his suit.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Rise and shine, Matchstick!" someone opened curtains and the sun reached Johnny's eyes.

Johnny whined and turned away.

"Wake up, wake up!"

"Get lost," the guy murmured. He opened one eye and saw Ben sitting on his bed.

"Get lost," Johnny repeated.

"Are you sure you okay? You have been sleeping for like 25 hours, it's already evening."

"First you say I'm not okay and I need some sleep. And when I sleep you tell me to wake up. Reasonable," Johnny sat down on his bed. "Where's everyone?"

"Somewhere there… trying to act less like singe-cell bacteria. I mean trying to do something," Ben snorted.

"And…?" Johnny started but Ben snorted again.

"And _she_ is okay. Downstairs too."

"Get lost, I need to take a shower," Johnny changed the topic.

Ben huffed and stood up. "See you downstairs."

"M-hm."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Hey guys, nice to see the whole family gathered together, finally!" Johnny exclaimed as he entered the kitchen and saw his fellow Fantastic Four members plus Amara and Alicia there. "Sometimes I think it's just me and Sue here, you know."

"Hello Johnny, how're you feeling?" Alicia smiled.

"Amazing!" the guy answered happily and sat down on a free stool (that happened to be right beside Amara). "What's new here?"

"You are all over the news," Alicia reported as everyone else was too busy eating.

"Seriously? You must be kidding me," the guy said ironically and helped himself with steak. "What do they say now?"

"Well now it's all about a 'mysterious girl who can rule over the ocean'," Alicia smiled.

"Matchhead will never forgive you for stealing the spotlight," Ben added looking at Amara.

"And why 'mysterious'?" Johnny decided to ignore him.

"They don't have any information about Amara, no pictures, nothing, they don't know who she is," Reed explained.

"Nah, don't worry, they'll know you soon," the guy looked at Amara who put her fork down and wasn't eating.

"You think they will?" she looked back with fear.

"Sure," Johnny frowned misunderstanding, "they're paparazzi," he shrugged.

Amara tensed.

"You don't like that?" Johnny guessed.

The girl shook her head violently.

"But why? I mean, that's cool."

"Don't mind him, Amara," Ben chimed in. "For Johnny it's like there can't be anything better than a herd of paparazzi running around. Oh, and girls, of course. But in your case there will be boys."

"Boys? Following Am…?" Johnny looked at Ben with worry and concern and saw him smiling mischievously. Johnny's stare turned angry and a napkin near Ben blazed up.

"Johnny!" Sue exclaimed angrily but Amara made some unapparent move with her palm and the water from her glass put it out.

"What?" the guy looked at Sue innocently. She just huffed.

Johnny tried to catch Amara's eyes to say thank you but she was looking down all the time.

"Thanks, Alicia, that was delicious," Reed finished first and stood up. "Amara, I'll need you in the lab."

Sue tensed.

"See you guys," with that Reed walked away.

Soon Amara stood up too.

"Thanks, I better go."

She didn't look at anyone and took off.

There was uneasy silence.

"Salad, anyone?" Alicia asked unsurely.

"No, thanks, I'm not hungry," Sue threw her napkin aside and stood up. "See you."

"Matchstick, what is going on?" Ben looked at Johnny when Sue left.

"Why asking me?" the guy sighed. "Okay, okay, I'll deal with that. And let you guys have some privacy."

Johnny found Sue on the balcony.

"Hey sis."

"Hey," she didn't look at him.

"I talked to Reed and Amara before that… earthquake thing," Johnny started. "You got everything wrong."

"Did I?" Susan asked angrily.

"There is _nothing_ between them, trust me," Johnny answered calmly. "They're just researching into something."

"Like what?" the woman snapped. "Look, did you get a chance to read Amara's profile?"

"No, Reed wouldn't let me. I asked, but…"

"Me neither. Why? Can you give me any reason?" Sue crossed her arms.

"You sound like you accuse me of something," the guy chuckled. "Maybe there are some reasons after all… that's classified information, I think."

"And I know why. Because Reed wants to save both her profile and _her_ for himself."

"Sue, that's hilarious," Johnny gave out a laugh.

"Oh really? Then what are they doing in the lab _now_?"

"Well I think we can go and ask, that's definitely better than standing here and guessing," the guy suggested.

"No! I won't!" Sue snapped and demonstratively looked away at the city.

"Sue, I don't recognize you," Johnny shook his head. "Well I'll go."

The lab wasn't closed and Johnny thought again that Sue's just seeing things.

"You sure you feel okay?" the guy heard Reed's voice and stopped. He was standing behind some huge device (he had no idea what that was) and neither Reed nor Amara could see him. Fore some reasons Johnny stayed there and didn't want to be noticed.

"Yes I am! Reed, you've been asking that for like thousands time in ten minutes! My vitals are okay, you have just checked that."

"Okay, okay," the scientist murmured. "So now… give me your right hand, I'll make a shot…"

"No."

"Excuse me?" Reed's voice was surprised.

"No," the girl repeated. "You won't do that until you tell me what that is."

"Amara, trust me, that's important for…," the man trailed off. "That's important for you."

"Reed, what's going on? You have been making tests, experiments on me for like more than a month without explaining anything. What is that all for?"

"I have already told you, you are a very interesting… uh…"

"Thing?"

"Person. Your body structure, your powers, everything is unusual in so many ways…"

"Reed, stop that," Amara snorted. "You have my profile and all information about me, every possible fact is in there."

"I am making new ones, they're… um… different," Johnny could clearly hear that Reed's desperately trying to find a reason. Or even make one up.

"Come on, they have been doing that on me for like ten years, there can't _possibly_ be anything else left. Reed, I'm waiting for explanations. I let you do whatever tests, researches and experiments you wanted without asking anything because that's how it was in the NGA. Just do what they tell me. But now I want you to tell me what you are doing and what that is all for. Either you tell me or I leave."

Amara's voice was calm but adamant.

To Johnny's surprise Reed didn't try to put up another reason, instead, he didn't say anything and took a deep breath.

"Have you read your profile?" he asked in an absolutely different voice.

"No, that's forbidden."

"Have they told you anything about you? I mean, what they're doing on you?"

"Uh-huh, like every evening as a bedtime story," the girl snorted. "No, I have already told you they hadn't," she added calmly.

Reed went silent again.

"Have they told you about… uh… side effects?"

"No. Reed, they haven't told me _anything_."

"You said scientists were your friends?"

"Well, not _friends_ friends, we were just babbling every now and then. It is forbidden to give out any classified information. Reed, what are you trying to say?" some concern appeared in her voice.

The scientist didn't answer.

"Reed?" Amara repeated. "I am starting to worry."

"Look, there is one thing I need to tell you… I mean you need to know…" Reed started and then trailed off. "What I am doing is for… oh Jesus!" he exclaimed suddenly.

"Reed…? What is it?" the girl's voice was shaking.

"There is one thing… please take it… uh… easy… calm… there is one thing you need to know…"

"You mean the fact that I will die soon?" Amara asked suddenly.

"You know?" Reed asked in surprise.

"You _what_?" Johnny couldn't help it.

Reed and Amara heard and turned to him. All Johnny could see was fear in the girl's eyes.

**So? The next chapter is already in progress so the more you review, the faster you will get it=)**


	14. Chapter 13

**Hey people, I 'm SOOOOOOO sorry for keeping you waiting=((((((((( really sorry. It's just… this chapter was hard to write=( but in the end I kinda liked it, so I hope you will too.**

**And THANK YOU **_**KAT**_**, **_**BB Bunni-chan**_**, **_**soooofija,**__**bombchicka**_** for reviewing, and HUGE thanks to **_**Cookie**_** for reviewing twice (!) and to **_**bluestar71**_** for reviewing THREE times(!) you all guys are the best! Sorry for loads of caps and exclamation marks, I'm just really glad I finally updated=)**

"Johnny, what are you doing here?" Reed asked nervously.

The guy didn't respond, he was still staring at Amara and she was staring back. Suddenly she rushed towards the doors.

"Amara!" Reed yelled but Johnny was faster. He caught the girl by fist and turned her to face him.

"Let go of me," Amara said angrily not looking at Johnny.

The water in all vessels, even Reed's glass, started to boil.

"What the hell was that?" Johnny ignored Amara's words.

"Let me go!" the girl almost yelled. The water was boiling furiously.

"I won't," he answered calmly.

Amara looked at him. Her eyes reminded Johnny of a captured animal that tried desperately to go free.

"Calm down," Johnny ordered in an even voice.

Amara looked down again and took a deep breath. The water stopped boiling.

"Let go of me, I won't run away," she said after a while.

"You are getting better with emotions," Johnny said as he let go of Amara's fist.

"Practice makes perfect," she answered without a smile and moved away from the guy.

"Are you okay?" Reed chimed in. Johnny looked at him with surprise, he forgot the scientist is in here.

Amara didn't answer. She sat into one of the chairs and starred absentmindedly at the glass of water on the table.

"So… you know now…" she said quietly as if to herself. "When did you find out?" the girl looked at Reed.

"About what? Oh… about your… um…" Reed stuttered.

"Death," Amara said firmly. "When did you find out?"

"No, no, no! wait!" Johnny exclaimed loudly. "What the fuck are you talking about? What death? You can't be dying!" he looked at Amara. "No! you… you… just can't!"

The girl ignored him.

"Amara, look," Reed said. "All this time I have been working on a formula that will let you be human again. That shot about a month ago, remember? When you wounded Johnny. That was the first step, normalizing some of your hormones. And this one," he pointed at something on the table, "will normalize your physical receptors."

"So that is true?" Johnny didn't let Amara say anything. He came up to Reed. "Amara is… she's…" he couldn't pronounce it.

Reed nodded. Amara was still not saying a thing.

"Why on Earth didn't you tell me?" Johnny yelled at Reed. "Why didn't you tell anybody?"

"And what would that change?" that was Amara. She looked up at Johnny and he couldn't see any emotion in her eyes. They were blank.

"I… that would…"

"That's right. Nothing," with a soft chuckle she stood up. "That was in my profile, right, Reed?"

The scientist nodded.

"That's why you wouldn't let me read it?" Johnny asked.

Reed nodded again.

_Die. She will die. No more of her. She will die._

"And how long is it left? Does my profile contain that?" the girl crossed her arms.

"No, but…" Reed started.

"Pity."

"Look, you said you haven't read your profile and they never told you about what they were doing to you, how come you even know you are… um…" Reed trailed off.

"I researched into that myself. You know, when I grew up, I was like sixteen then, I started to doubt NGA is fairy godmother that helps people for nothing."

"You were doing genetic researches at sixteen?" Reed looked at the girl with wide eyes.

"I _started_ to learn that stuff, figure out what they are doing to me… there are a lot of ways to learn, so I did. And in couple of years I understood that all that stuff is not that harmless. I figured out I'm moving towards my expiration date faster than normal human beings."

"When did you understand that?" Reed asked.

"Couple of years ago. I just couldn't estimate when exactly that will happen."

"And did you tell them? Those scientists, Woods? Did you tell them to do something with that?"

"Come on, Reed. They're not dumber than me, they surely know all that. Maybe they were trying to save me, maybe not… but you know, NGA's not the place to ask questions. Especially I'm not in the right position to do that."

All this time Amara was leaning against the table her arms crossed.

"Wait," Johnny said after while. "Reed, you say that you are on your way of finding the cure, right? And you have something here," he motioned towards the table. "So where's the problem? You'll find the cure and everyone will be happy and alive, right?"

Amara chuckled softly.

"It's not that easy. First, I don't know when exactly I will die, it can happen any day…"

"So you… you just know that every day can be your last?" the guy couldn't believe it. "And you just live with that?"

"And do you expect me to commit a suicide? 'sides, waking up every day is a really pleasant surprise," she smiled ironically.

Johnny couldn't believe it. He just stared at Amara for some time.

"Look, I've calculated that," Reed interfered.

"What? But how?" Amara turned to him in surprise.

"Well, I'm a scientist, right?"

"So how long do I have?"

Johnny could swear there was nothing but a curiosity in her voice.

"About… well, roughly 74 days…"

"Days?" Johnny exclaimed. "You mean… you mean…"

"About two and a half months…" Amara said slowly. "Nice to know that… gotta get myself a calendar and mark the days left," she added evenly.

"Amara, shut up!" Johnny yelled.

The girl looked at him with surprise.

"Reed will save you! And you won't die!" the guy was continuing. "All you have to do now is a shot, and then…"

"Hold up," Amara interrupted and raised her hand. "That," she pointed at the syringe, "will not save me right now. That is my DNA that kills me. and as far as I know Reed didn't figure out how to fix that one yet."

"Come on, Reed's a genius, he'll figure that out soon," Johnny shrugged.

"Johnny's right, Amara, we had to deal with bigger problems in way shorter time, I'm sure I'll find a cure," Reed came up to his table and took the syringe. "Give me your hand, I will make a shot…"

"No, thank you," the girl answered and yet again calmly.

Both men looked at her misunderstanding.

"Excuse me?" Reed frowned.

"I don't want that. You can save your time and not look for that cure," the girl looked back at Reed.

"Amara, but you can't…"

"Watch me!"

"Amara, that's… that's… how can you? I mean, that's… you will die… the cure is the only option!"

"I don't want that! What part of that is not clear?" Amara snapped. She was obviously losing her temper again.

Reed bit his lip. Johnny just stared at her.

"Look, I understand, you've been living with a really big stress lately since you found out your condition," the scientist started slowly and carefully. "But I'm sure with a help of good psychologist we can help you…"

"No! That is _my_ life and _I_ will decide what I will do to it, got it?" she was angry again.

Both Reed and Johnny were speechless.

"See you, guys," Amara turned towards the door.

Johnny couldn't say anything. Again. For like hundredths time this evening. He couldn't even find any thought in his head that made sense. All he was hoping for was that Reed will stop the girl

"Amara, please, don't go," the scientist asked suddenly quietly. "Okay, just… just wait. And listen."

The girl stopped but didn't turn towards them.

"Remember that diving trip? You saved my life back there, twice. That sounds cheesy but if it wasn't for you I wouldn't even be here now."

"You're a superhero. You die and survive like every month," Amara huffed but Johnny could hear her voice wasn't even anymore, it was shaking.

"That doesn't make it a routine though. Now I want to help _you_."

"A payback? You don't owe me anything, don't worry."

"No, that's not a payback," Reed smiled lightly. "I _want_ to help you. Please let me do that."

Amara didn't answer.

"You are like a family to us now. To me, Sue, Ben, Johnny, Alicia."

"A family?"

"I don't know why you doing that but… I don't understand. It's… it's life. Living. You were at the brink so many times you can not just give up the value of life!" Reed exclaimed.

"The value of life?" Amara suddenly snapped and turned towards Johnny and Reed. There were tears in her eyes now and her voice was now definitely shaking. "You want to know why I'm doing that? You say I'm your _family_ now? Well okay then! Listen to a story of your new family member!"

With that she came back to where she was standing – leaning against Reed's table.

"When does the record of my profile start?" she asked Reed.

"Uh… the first experiment… it dates back to…"

"I remember, don't continue," the girl huffed. "And nothing seemed weird to you about that?"

"Well…" Reed scratched his scalp.

"The initial DNA structure?" the girl hinted.

"Well… yes, in the beginning that seemed strange… but the human DNA varies widely so… you know that less than one percent of our DNA is responsible for our looks? Even so called race is…"

"You're not in a university, Reed, and we're not students," Amara rolled her eyes and interrupted Reed rudely.

"Oh… well… actually I was more concerned about the experiments they did and…"

"Fine," the girl interrupted him again. "Well then listen."

Johnny was looking at her with surprise. He saw the her angry before, even angrier than that, but this time it was different. It was like Amara was making herself angry not do show some another emotion. Maybe pain.

"I was born with," she took a deep breath. "Ichthyosis lamellaris."

"What?" Johnny frowned misunderstanding.

_What the hell is that?_

"A decease! That explains the difference!" Reed exclaimed.

Amara rolled her eyes again.

"What's that?" Johnny repeated.

"A genetic decease," the girl didn't look at him. "Also known as 'alligator skin'. Causes scales and outgrowths on the body. This decease affects one out of six hundred thousand people. I was the unlucky one. Fifty eight percent of my body was covered with scales. They hurt, itched and therefore needed to be constantly moisturized."

She stopped and bit her lip. All the time her eyes glued to the floor.

"Um… I don't remember my father. He must've left when I was born. Sure, no one wants a kid like that," Amara huffed and then gulped, "and my mom… well, I don't remember her much as well but now I'm guessing she was busy with her career, so when I was about five she placed me in an orphanage. The decease wasn't contagious so technically that's okay. But there it became even worse. No one wanted to strain himself and treat me like necessary so that hurt even more. I couldn't speak properly, I was bold… that's what you get in addition to scales… and that hurt like hell. The only time I felt almost okay was when I was taking shower. I loved water… it made the pain easier."

Amara took a deep breath.

"And when Woods came to take me with him I was agree to anything. Nothing could possibly be worse. So that's it. Wanna welcome me in your family now, huh?" she raised her head and looked at Johnny.

It was like that night she came to him crying. The same pain was in her eyes now. All words were too weak to describe it.

No one spoke for a while.

"I'm sorry," Reed finally broke the silence.

"Not your fault."

"But look, Amara, if we try…" the scientist started.

"No!" she yelled. "No! Can't you get it? if you change my DNA I might turn back into what I was!"

"Look, I understand that your life was hard… that pain…"

"The pain? You mean, the physical one?" the girl interrupted. "No, Reed, you don't understand. That's not the worst part. The worst part is… is… that people are afraid of you. They don't want to be around you. Kids were crying when they saw me! You can't understand what that means. I wanted to have friends, to play with somebody, just like other kids! And instead I got 'get off, freak'. I _was_ a freak. Not the one you see on TV or in comics, they are 'oh, I'm a freak, I can throw lightning bolts, I'm so unhappy with that' and blah-blah. You know, I couldn't even speak! I started to speak normally when I was fifteen! And even if I could no one would _want_ to talk to me! And just passing by mirrors was like… like a torture!"

Tears were streaming down her cheeks, she was yelling and sobbing. She covered her face with hands and sat down on the chair near the table. Amara was breathing in and out and after a minute her shoulders weren't shaking anymore.

"So I'd rather die then turn back to what I was," she said calmly and opened her face. "Okay, now you really know all about me. good night guys."

Amara wanted to stand up but Johnny chimed in.

"Look," his voice was sore from not using it for a while. The girl looked up at him. "Reed, you know all about DNA, right? Maybe you could find a cure that will make Amara's DNA _absolutely_ normal? Healthy?"

"Johnny, DNA's the hardest and the weirdest part of us, you can't just change it how you want," the girl shook her head.

"But there is a chance," Reed interfered. "There always is a chance, Amara. Maybe we will be able to cure you completely."

"But not a hundred percent guarantee?"

Reed didn't answer.

"Then no," Amara shook her head.

"But what I have in this syringe is not about your DNA yet," Reed started.

"That's a step towards it. And in a body everything's connected. I can't take such risks."

Suddenly Johnny rushed towards her and sat down next to the chair.

"Look at me," he asked.

Bur Amara turned away. Johnny reached for her face and turned it towards him.

Her face and eyes were read and tears were still there.

"Please, give it a chance," the guy asked.

She shook her head. "I can't," she said with her lips only.

"Please. For me."

"Why?" Johnny could barely hear her.

"For me."

Amara looked at him for a while. Then shook her head again. "I can't," she repeated.

The girl stood up and started to slowly walk towards the doors. When she was about a step away from it she stopped and turned around.

"Alright."

Johnny raised his head. He was still sitting next to the chair but now he stood up.

"Alright, Reed, do it," Amara came up to the table.

Reed stared at her for a while but then swiftly took the syringe and prepared it.

The girl stretched her left arm towards the scientist and he wiped it with antibacterial cloth.

"So this will change your receptors," Reed murmured.

Amara tensed.

Reed carefully injected the formula and in seconds they were done.

"Okay…" he said then, "now we'll need to wait for a while in case something goes wrong…"

"Like me going all psychic like the last time?" the girl huffed.

"Well, kind of," the scientist nodded and came towards one of the computers. "I need to work on some stuff…Amara, if you feel any discomfort or anything, tell me immediately, clear?"

"Okay. But nothing unusual so far."

"Good. I'll be right here."

Johnny thought that either Reed or Amara will tell him to leave but no one did. Not that he would go anywhere anyway. If something goes wrong with Amara he's the one who knows how to deal with it.

Johnny sat down into one of the chairs in the corner of the lab and looked at Amara who was sitting near the table. She was looking down to the floor as usual and seemed completely absorbed in her thoughts.

The guy wasn't an expert in genetics and he had no idea what ichthyosis is. But all that Amara had said about it was slowly revolving in his head. She called herself a freak. An outcast. Someone who people were afraid of. Someone ugly.

Johnny was staring at the girl and couldn't picture her as she described. He tried his hardest but couldn't.

"What are you looking at?" Amara's voice almost made him jump.

Turned out Amara noticed his stare.

"Um… uh… nothing, nothing," the guy looked away. "Just… no, nothing."

The girl huffed but didn't say anything. She turned toward the glass of water Reed forgot about and moved an index finger of her left hand. A thin streamlet started to flow up from the glass. When all water was in the air it started to form different shapes following the movements of Amara's hand and fingers. Johnny was watching it absentmindedly.

A sudden noise of fall made Johnny snap back to reality. It was Reed. His upper part fell on the computer table because the scientist fell asleep.

"Reed?" Johnny called but didn't get response. The guy stood up and came up to Reed.

"Hey," Johnny shook Reed's shoulder. "Wake up."

"What? What happened?" Reed asked waking up.

"Nothing, calm down," Johnny chuckled. "You fell asleep. I think you better go to bed."

"What time is it?" Reed yawned.

"About three a.m. we're waiting for about two hours," Amara answered.

Johnny checked his watches in surprise. He didn't notice the time flying.

"Reed, go to bed," Johnny repeated.

"But Amara…"

"I'll take care of her if anything goes wrong."

"Can you do that?"

"Well, I did last time, remember?" Johnny huffed. "And I can always wake you up."

"Oh… right, but…"

"Reed, Johnny's right," Amara interfered. "You need to get some sleep. 'sides, I feel absolutely fine and it's already been two hours so I guess this time we'll do without any side effects."

"Well… then you must be right," Reed stood up. "Good night guys! And wake me up immediately in case…"

"Okay, okay, got it," Johnny rolled his eyes.

When Reed left the lab Johnny came back to where he's been sitting.

"You sure you feel okay?" he asked the girl.

"Yeah, absolutely," she shrugged. "Last time I felt dizzy and now nothing… you can go to bed too if you want."

"No, I'll stay," Johnny shook his head.

"Look, may I ask you…" Amara started but trailed off.

"Sure."

"No, nothing."

"Amara?"

"No, Johnny, that's nothing," the girl looked away.

"Still?" Johnny was curious.

Amara shook her head, "nothing."

"Amara, please?"

The girl took a deep breath.

"Okay…Are you… do you… do you feel disgusted?" she jerked up her head to look at Johnny.

"What?" he thought he misheard the girl. "Disgusted?"

"You heard me," Amara repeated quietly.

"What do you mean…?" then it snapped and Johnny jumped on his feet and rushed towards the girl.

She winced when he sat down near her chair.

"You think I will feel disgusted? That I will avoid you now?"

"Not just you…. All of you. After I told you who I am."

"Amara, that's silly," the guy frowned. "Did you really think _that_ matters?"

Amara shrugged unsurely. "Maybe."

"No, that doesn't," Johnny said simply.

"Have you ever seen someone affected by ichthyosis?"

"Um… no, why?"

"That explains it," she smiled sadly.

"Amara, you're wrong!..."

"Johnny, drop it," Amara shook her head. "Look, that's stupid. We're just sitting here and waiting. Guess nothing will happen, we can go to beds."

She stood up and Johnny had to follow.

"Are you sure?"

"Well, yeah, I guess so."

"You tired?"

"Actually no… that's kinda weird cuz I should be," the girl frowned. "But maybe that's just because we ruined our inner clock after Japan."

"And everything is okay?" Johnny asked carefully.

"Well, it is… just… don't you feel the room's a bit overheated?"

"Um… my temperature's always different," the guy shrugged.

"Oh, right, Hothead, I forgot," Amara rolled her eyes. "Let's go?"

"Yup."

They left the lab and headed towards the stairs through empty dark rooms. Johnny was following the girl closely in case something goes wrong.

And it did. When they passed couple of stairs Amara put a hand on the lower part of her stomach and stopped.

"Hey, you okay?" the guy asked nervously.

Amara didn't respond. Now she was trying to catch her breath.

"Amara, talk to me!" Johnny whispered now almost scared.

"I'm fine… fine…" her voice was unexpectedly low.

The girl sat down on one of the footsteps and Johnny sat by.

"Amara, what do you feel? Dizzy? Sick? I'll go wake Reed up…"

Amara shook her head.

"No, no… don't… oh boy," she whispered.

"What?" Johnny was almost terrified.

"Guess I know now why I felt overheated," Amara chuckled in her now low voice.

"And why?"

Amara didn't answer. She was still breathing a bit heavier than usual and her eyes were closed.

"Amara…? I'll go get Reed…"

"No, Johnny, don't go," she whispered and looked at him. The guy frowned in surprise, Amara's look was different. And he knew that type of look really good.

A smirk touched Amara's lips and she leaned closer to him. Their faces were now not more than couple of inches away from each other.

"Don't go," she repeated.

"Holla, holla, wait!" Johnny leaned back. "What are you doing?"

"Come on, you know what I'm doing," Amara smiled again and that smile sent chills through Johnny's spin.

"Well, um… yeah, I do… but…" he leaned back more.

"You wanna tell me you don't want it, Johnny?" the girl chuckled softly and raised her eyebrow sarcastically.

The guy felt he's blushing deep scarlet.

"Um… well… I…" he stuttered.

The girl gave out a small laugh that sent another chill through Johnny's body.

"Amara, that's because of that shot!" he almost jumped on his feet and stepped back.

"So what?" Amara looked up at him sarcastically.

"You are not yourself now! You will regret that tomorrow!"

"That will be tomorrow, we'll have plenty of time."

"Amara, no! You are not yourself," Johnny repeated.

Suddenly a smile left the girl's face.

"So that's _is_ it," she said harshly.

"What?"

"You _are_ disgusted," she swiftly stood up.

"What? No, no!" the guy shook his head.

"Oh really?" Amara frowned and crossed her arms.

"Really! Amara, trust me, you are beautiful, gorgeous, hot, perfect…"

"What then?" the girl interrupted.

"You don't control yourself now," Johnny shook his head again. "You won't even remember that tomorrow!"

"Isn't that perfect for you then?" a smile appeared on her face again.

"Amara, look," the guy raised his both hands but Amara apparently thought she's done talking.

She stepped up and pressed her lips against Johnny's.

And the tables turned. Johnny couldn't help placing his hands Amara's back and felt her smile against his lips. But he didn't have a chance to savour that delicate sensation because Amara kissed him again and Johnny gasped. that was the most emotional hiss he'd ever had. Like she was giving all she had to him and Johnny was more than willing to take it.

"Your room or mine?" Johnny whispered hoarsely when they stopped to catch their breaths.

"Yours is closer," Amara answered.

"Good," the guy started to move upstairs not breaking the kiss.

**So? Please please please review! Please! And I promise I'll do my best to update sooner**


	15. Chapter 14

**Hey=)) traditionally sorry for keeping you guys waiting=(((((( I suck, I know. These last chapters were so hard to write! I wanted everything to look reasonable, hope I didn't fail miserably. **

**And thank you, **_**bluestar71**_** and **_**Cookie**_**! Just like the last time, Cookie reviewed twice and bluestar71 did thrice! I officially adore you=) And to those 7 people that alerted: huge thank you to you all, but next time a word? 100 times please?**

It felt like a blade of grass stroking his chest and face. Johnny wrinkled his nose trying to shake that off and go on sleeping but didn't succeed. So he started to heat himself slowly to burn that grass and heard a light chuckle.

"Easy, Flameboy, you'll burn the bed."

"Hmm?"

Johnny opened his eyes and blinked couple of times to make sure he's awake. He realized that that wasn't a blade of grass that woke him up.

Amara was lying near him, wrapped in a blanket, tracing out patterns on his chest with her finger.

"I can now feel your heat…" she murmured amazed.

"You remember?" Johnny looked at her unsurely and rose on his elbows.

"You upset with that?" the girl looked up at him sarcastically.

"No, no!" the guy shook his head. "Just… surprised. So you won't yell at me now that I dragged you into my room?" he smiled.

"Well, technically that was _me_ who dragged you," Amara huffed.

Johnny smiled again and started to play with a bunch of her hair. He felt like flying. Everything seemed perfect, like all things were in places in his life and they finally matched. Just… something was spoiling the moment. But he couldn't define what exactly. (**A/N**: described it kinda lame, sorry=((( dunno if you ever felt that, but I sometimes do. like everything seems alright but something disturbs… and then you remember you forgot you have to hand in course papers tomorrow=( kinda like that =)

"You're hot," the girl murmured.

"So now you admit I am?" Johnny looked at her sarcastically.

Amara rolled her eyes. "I mean _literally_. You must be having difficulties not burning the bed."

The guy didn't answer. He could say something witty like he always did but this time he didn't want to. He remembered one of his girls (he didn't remember the name) once said that Human Torch's girlfriend needs fireproof underwear. But Johnny didn't want to mention that now. Now with Amara it felt almost blasphemous.

"Um… Johnny… I wanted to ask…" Amara started slowly, "does it always feel that way? I mean, feels… uh…" the girl trailed off.

"Um… what exactly are you talking about?"

"Well… um… what _we_ just did… I mean not just but at night…" Amara was almost stuttering.

She swiftly sat down and Johnny smiled to himself. He could swear Amara was blushing right now.

"Wait," he said after a minute of considering, "was that your … uh… first time?"

"No," the girl shook her head immediately.

"Then how…?"

"You forget I wasn't able to feel _anything_," she turned to Johnny. "Hot, cold…"

"Then what was the point of even doing that?" the guy questioned and sat down too.

Amara smiled lightly and shrugged. "Dunno… well… other people were doing it so I thought… well… they do it for a reason, right?"

Johnny chuckled and shook his head. "That's weird."

"I know," she chuckled again. "So?"

"Hm?"

"Does it always feel this way?" Amara looked at him curiously.

The guy scratched his scalp. He didn't know what to say.

"Well…" he started and bit his lip. "Not always…" Johnny tailed off. _Shit, that girl makes me speechless. _

"Why?" Amara asked with bigger curiosity. "Oh…" she blushed deeper. "Crap… don't answer, I got it," she chuckled and ran a hand through her heir. "But… this means this night was… not bad?" Amara gave Johnny a look that was both curious and mischievous.

Johnny chuckled too and shook his head. "Well what can I say…" he smiled and leaned closer to the girl. Amara understood his intention and leaned closer too.

"Hey, Matchstick, you in here?" Ben's voice came from the loudspeaker on the wall.

Amara stopped and looked at the door. Johnny saw fear in her eyes.

"Matchstick, wake up!"

Amara now looked at Johnny and shook her head. She literally jumped on her feet still holding the blanket around her body. What happened next made Johnny blink couple of times. Amara turned into that water-like statue that was already familiar to the guy and threw the blanket away, and then the statue melted down. Johnny stared down and saw a small pool on the floor.

"Hothead, did you die?" Ben's voice got louder.

Johnny found his underwear, put it on and opened the door.

"What?" he snapped. "Couldn't stand a night without me?"

"Have you seen Amara?" Ben ignored Johnny's words. "We can't find her anywhere."

"Nope, I haven't," the younger man shook his head, he was experienced in lying due to the number of his girls, so he wasn't afraid Ben will detect it.

"Have you ever thought of cleaning-up, huh?" Ben gave him a look.

"And that's none of your business. See you," with that Johnny closed the door.

"Actually, he's kind of right," Johnny heard Amara's light chuckle close behind him and turned back. She was standing there still in the blanket.

"How did you do that?"

"Practiced using my new powers," the girl shrugged.

"That was cool!" Johnny exclaimed.

"Thanks," Amara huffed. "I guess I better go, they will be worried."

"Well they won't after we tell them…"

"No," the girl interrupted firmly. "We won't tell them anything. Promise me you won't."

"But why?"

"I just… don't want to…" Amara shook her head. "Please."

The guy didn't reply. That was not the way things usually were.

Amara meanwhile was gathering her clothes from wherever they ended up last night.

"Look, Amara, could you please explain why you don't want to tell them about… uh…"

"Johnny, I'll explain everything later," the girl was trying to hold all her stuff in one hand while the other one was holding the blanket around her. "Later, when… well, when I figure it all out myself, okay?"

Johnny bit his lip.

"Wow," he chuckled, "that's weird."

"What?" Amara looked at him misunderstanding.

"Normally I'm the one saying all that. Like, 'I'll explain everything later, have no time now' kind of stuff," he crossed his arms and looked back at Amara.

"Wow, you confessed you do that?" the girl gave him a sarcastic smile. "Why won't you just come clean and say that you run away from girls?"

Johnny went speechless for a while.

"Are you going to insult me? Or what, take revenge on behalf of all female population?"

Amara exhaled and closed her eyes.

"No, no, I didn't mean to… crap," she swallowed. "Look, I'm sorry. And I'm not running away. I just must go because guys will look for me."

"So what if they find you here?" Johnny was insisting.

The girl chuckled again. "Johnny, I… don't think that you understand all consequences."

"What? What consequences?" the guy frowned. "That's ridiculous. What are you talking about?"

"Nope, I was wrong, you don't understand that _at all_," Amara shook her head with a sad smile and walked towards the door. "Johnny, just take your time," she saw the guy opening his mouth to say something and didn't let him, "just listen."

Johnny didn't reply.

"I'll borrow your blanket for a while," with that Amara left.

_W__hat the hell was that supposed to mean? And what is that stupid feeling like I keep missing something important?_

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Hey Matchhead, woke up finally?" Ben greeted him downstairs.

"Yup."

"Wanna ask me something?"

"Mmm?" Johnny considered it for a while. "Nope, nothing."

"That's weird, you know. I told you that Amara's missing and you are not worried?" Ben raised his eyebrow suspiciously and mischievously. "Couple of days ago you were almost killing yourself in that ocean… I really was afraid you will die on your way back…"

"You were afraid I will die…" Johnny repeated slowly. And it was like something punched him.

_Shit! How could I… I forgot what Amara told us yesterday! How could that fucking little detail slip my mind?_

"Die! Crap! Crap, crap, crap!" he almost whined. "I'm an idiot! A total dork!"

"Hey, what's gone into you?" Ben looked surprised. "I mean, can't say I disagree…"

"Shit! Shit!" Johnny didn't pay attention to Ben and rushed towards the lab.

"Reed?" the guy called as he entered. "You in here? Reed?"

But no one responded.

_That's good._

Johnny sat down to one of the computers and turned it on.

_How did she call it? Ichtyo-something? __Lamela… _

When the computer was on, Johnny opened the browser.

_Google. That's what I need. World's smartest dude. Crap, how d'you even spell that? Try ictyosis… _

No results found.

_Oh come on! Suggest me something! Okay then… icthyosis… _

Maybe you meant "ichthyosis"?

Deep breath.

_Yeah, that's right what I meant._

Opening the page…

Pictures.

Ichthyosis fetalis… dengan… lamellar…

_Lamellar! That's what she called it.._

There was a man whose face was covered almost completely in something resembling green moss or scales. His eyes were yellowish and he was bald.

Johnny's first intention was to close the tab but he couldn't. All his body was numb. He couldn't even close his eyes not to look at the screen anymore.

"I was afraid you'd do that. But I hoped you wouldn't," a voice came from behind.

Johnny literally jumped on the chair and turned his head. Reed was standing behind him, his face expressionless.

"Is that…" Johnny only managed to choke.

"Yes it is," Reed answered the guy's unsaid question and walked to his table.

"But that…" Johnny again couldn't finish and looked back at the screen.

"Turn it off Johnny," the scientist asked tiredly.

But the guy didn't follow. He felt numbness again.

"Johnny!" Reed said now louder.

Seeing that Johnny's still looking at the screen Reed swiftly came up to him and closed the browser.

"I told you to stay away from her," he spoke after about a minute of silence.

"You never told me why," Johnny was speaking unusually slowly.

"And how should've I done that?" Reed gave him a look. "Sides, when I told you that, I only knew she can die soon. The decease was a surprise even for me."

The guy didn't respond. Reed wasn't speaking either.

"Everything went okay at night?" the scientist finally broke the silence.

"At night?" Johnny tensed. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean were there any side effects? Like the first time?"

"oh.. uh… nope. No, no. Everything was okay..." Johnny tried to sound convincing.

"Good, good," Reed murmured and went silent again.

"Reed?" Johnny started.

"Hm?"

"Will she… can she… uh… you know… turn back into…" Johnny couldn't look up at Reed.

Reed sighed, "I will do my best to help her."

"You mean this _can_ happen?"

The older man didn't answer.

"Reed?" Johnny repeated.

"What do you want, Johnny?" Reed exclaimed angrily.

"The truth," Johnny tried his best to keep his voice calm.

"Well then yes," the scientist answered firmly. "If something goes wrong with her DNA, Amara can be diseased again."

The younger man didn't answer. He looked down on the floor.

"Happy with the truth?" Reed continued without remorse. "Look, Johnny, let's stop pretending. Everyone noticed what's going on between you two, but we both know _who_ you are and what matters to you. So now I suggest you should be as far away from Amara as possible. Maybe you should leave, I don't know. Until you did anything stupid and unfixable, you should better stay away from her. And from here too."

"And by 'stupid and unfixable' you mean…?" Johnny asked still looking down.

"Well, that you will promise her something like eternal love… actually I was afraid you would do that yesterday since you were really close to that, but thank God, something saved you… or which is rather possible, that you will one day end up nude in your bed."

Johnny didn't respond.

_I should tell Reed. That that '__stupid and unfixable' thing has already happened. And maybe I have even told her I love her. That night that was more than possible._

Reed was meanwhile still staring attentively at Johnny.

"Don't you wanna tell me something?" the scientist finally asked.

_Shit, since when is Reed a mind-reader? He's always been blind even to stuff happening before his very nose!_

"Johnny?" Reed insisted.

"Okay, okay," Johnny gave up and looked back at Reed. "Last night… we…"

"No!" Reed interrupted. "Johnny, are you… were you… what were you thinking? Oh no, don't answer, I got it. I should've expected that. Why on Earth did I leave you two alone?"

He was pacing the floor.

"And what happened to Amara?" the older man continued. "We were always thinking we could rely on her training and common sense!"

"Wait, what d'you mean 'we were always thinking'?" now it was Johnny who almost yelled.

"Oh come on! D'you think we're blind in here?" Reed looked at him irritated.

"Well I thought _you_ are," Johnny murmured.

"Johnny, why did you do that?" Reed exclaimed again.

"Look, let's stop with that, okay?" the younger Storm was already fed up, his head started to heat up. "What done is done…"

"Oh now that's what you say?" Johnny was now watching more emotions coming from Reed than he showed even during that Surfer problem. "Fine. And what are you going to do next?"

Yet again Johnny couldn't find anything to say.

"Then I will tell you. Now you will start _thinking_. You will start to analyze everything you said and did, and you will look for a way to leave things just how they are now," Reed's voice was now calm. "You will start to think of what can happen if something does go wrong with Amara's treatment. She fit in your life perfectly before, right? A girl that will make your friends envy you and that will look good on pictures next to you, and if that's not enough, she has cool superpower, and that could be very stylish, fire and water, right?" Reed was continuing with dark sarcasm. "And now you found out she can turn into someone really unpretty. And what will you do then, huh? Famous player-slash-super hero Johnny Storm dating a girl with ichthyosis? Now how would that look?"

"Shut up!" Johnny yelled, trying to control the heat in his head, but Reed went on.

"No, I won't. I will tell you things you are not telling yourself. You are afraid, Johnny. You're scared because the life you had suits you perfectly and you don't want to change a thing about it. And you are afraid that after you did there might be no way back into that perfect life.

Who is Amara for you now, huh? Just another hot – yet hot – chick. And now you start to think if she worth all the changes that she may cause."

Johnny wasn't sure what he feels. On one hand, he wanted to punch Reed. But on the other, Johnny was hating himself for the fact that Reed's words were fair.

"Amara? What happened?" Sue's worried voice came from the doors and both Johnny and Reed turned their heads towards the entrance. Amara was rushing towards them, her eyes were sparkling with both anger and tears. That picture seemed to just turn the heat in Johnny's head off.

"Reed, change it!" she asked in a shaky but loud voice. She wasn't paying attention to Johnny or Sue.

"Change what? What happened?" Reed frowned.

"Change what you did!" the girl yelled. "What you did yesterday! It hurts now!"

"Amara, what hurts? Calm down!" the scientist stepped closer to her.

"Turning into mermaid hurts! Like hell! I can't grow my tail anymore!" tears finally started to run down her cheeks. "I don't want to have any sensors, any!"

"Amara, just calm down and tell us what happened!" Reed asked in a commanding voice.

The girl took a deep breath but couldn't fight sobbing.

"I went swimming, in the Gulf. I wanted to get to the ocean. When I dived the water was cold like hell! But that was nothing comparing to what I felt when I tried to grow my tail, I could practically feel scales rip my skin when they appear..!" Amara was trying to catch her breath, tears were streaming down. "Reed, I want my old life back! I don't care if it ends tomorrow, I don't want to change anything about it! Turn me back into who I was!"

Reed didn't say anything. There was an uneasy silence for a while.

"I don't want another life, I want the old one back," Amara whispered barely hearable.

Johnny rushed to the girl and hugged her. Amara shuddered in surprise but then put her head onto his chest.

"I'm scared," she whispered. "I'm afraid of changes."

"Shh, s'okay, s'okay," the guy whispered back, holding her closer.

"I'm scared," Amara repeated.

Johnny got it.

This life he's been living – girls, parties, cars – was absorbing him more and more every day. In the beginning it was just interesting, then it was fun, then it became rather boring, then annoying, and then he realized he can't quit it. What did he have beside that? A sister? Well, she's happily married and pregnant. A team? Reed was absorbed in science and Sue, and Ben wasn't paying much attention to his pranks and jokes since he met Alicia. No, Johnny never wanted to give up the fame and the attention, but he needed something stable. Or someone.

After that talk to Ben, when the Earth was in danger because of the Surfer, Johnny started to try to change his life. He tried it with Frankie, tried his best, but it didn't work out so he came back to where he started from. He just felt safer there. That life sucked, but it was safe.

And now there was another person, who was just as afraid of changes, as he was. And more to that, that person was dying. For Amara things were worse than they were for him.

_Maybe, that's what I needed? Someone wear, to feel myself stronger?_

Johnny made his choice.

"S'okay, I'm here. I won't leave you," he whispered stroking Amara's hair. "I promise I won't leave you."

Johnny took a look at Reed with a corner of his eye. His brother-in-law was eyeing them thoughtfully and then nodded slightly.

"Um, guys? What is going on?" Sue's awkward voice chimed in.

"Nothing, sweetheart,…" Reed started but Johnny interrupted him.

"Look, guys, I think we all need to come clean," he looked down al Amara, "you okay with that?"

"I don't care," she murmured dully, "I really don't care."

"Then I think we will better go," Johnny let go of Amara but left one hand around her higher part. "And you should tell them everything, Reed. Sue and Ben. They deserve to know."

"Where should we go?" Johnny asked Amara carefully when they left the lab. Amara was moving like amoeba, just going where he led her.

"I don't care," her voice was just as dull as before.

"Okay, then… the living room."

In the living room they sat down on a couch, and Amara placed her head onto Johnny's chest again and closed her eyes.

The guy hugged her and started to stroke the girl's back. He realized that somehow he was dreaming of the world's end. Right now, so they could all just die, being relatively happy and without sufferings.

"Hey, you asleep?" Amara's voice came into his head unexpectedly.

"No, I thought you are," he replied with a smile.

"Johnny, are you sure?" the girl asked, her head still in its place on Johnny's chest.

"About what?"

"You said you won't leave me. Are you sure?" she raised her head and looked at the guy.

"I am," Johnny nodded.

"Thank you," Amara gave him a small smile.

"Hey, cheer up," Johnny smiled at her too, only wider, "check this out…"

The guy raised his right hand and lit a small fire from his index finger. The flame grew higher and formed a '5' in the air.

"… Everything will work out okay and we will become 'Fantastic Five'," Johnny ended trying to cheer the girl up.

But Amara's face didn't lighten up.

"I doubt it. If everything works out I don't think Reed will manage to leave me my powers."

"Wait… you mean you will be…?"

"Just an ordinary human being," the girl ended for him. "And that's if I'm lucky."

"Don't even start about that!" Johnny understood where she was going. "Reed's a genius! He will find the cure, I'm sure."

"Hope so," Amara smiled sadly. "But as for now…"

She raised her right hand too and a ball of water appeared in the mid-air.

"… I still have them," with that she moved her palm a bit and the water put down the fire.

"Hey, that's not fair!" Johnny exclaimed in surprise.

"Why? It is. Water beats fire!" Amara smiled winningly and the guy couldn't help smiling too.

"I just won't be able to be a mermaid anymore," the girl's smile faded away.

"You wouldn't need to run away into the ocean anymore," Johnny ran his hand through Amara's hair.

"How d'you know that?" Amara frowned.

"That you swim to run away from the life? Like I fly with another reason," he chuckled.

"But you still _can_ fly," Amara huffed.

"Okay, I promise I won't fly anymore… well, unless I'll need that to save the world. Deal?"

"Deal," the girl laughed.

"'Sides, you still have some cool powers left," Johnny reminded.

"Yeah, but… I liked my tail."

"Here you are guys," Sue's voice came from behind them.

Amara and Johnny turned around and saw Sue, Ben and Reed entering the room.

"Family meeting," the guy murmured.

Amara stood up and he had to follow.

"Look, Amara, I'm so sorry," Sue said and hugged the girl.

"For what?" Amara looked shocked. "Sue?"

"Believe me, there is a reason," Susan huffed uneasy after letting go of her. "Just… I'm sorry."

"O-kay," the girl still wasn't getting it.

"Cheer up, kid, Egghead's smart, he'll help you," Ben nudged Amara.

"And I'll help him," Sue added, "I'm actually a scientist too, if you remember."

"But your baby…" Johnny started but trailed off.

_Crap! What if Sue didn't tell him?_

"We decided that's okay," Reed put his arm around his wife and smiled to her.

"Yeah, that doesn't affect my brain," Susan added.

"Well, maybe just a little bit," Johnny chimed in and received a hit by a force-fist on his back.

"Not funny," he made a face. "Look, guys, I thought I could help you with the researches too…"

Four pairs of widely opened eyes stared at him.

"You?" Ben asked.

"Why not?"

"Well, how about 'because you don't know a thing about genetics'?" Reed raised his eyebrow.

"It's not _that_ bad…"

"Yeah, I'm sure it's worse," Ben chuckled.

"Look, Amara, I thought you'll…" Reed started but Amara interrupted him.

"No, Reed I won't. I don't want to spend the rest of my life in a lab, sorry," the girl shook her head. "And don't look at me like that. I've lived for couple of years with that so I think I'll stand that for another couple of months."

"Alright," Reed was the first to speak after a minute of silence. "I'm going to the lab… Sue?"

"Yeah, I'm with you. Just… I have one question… Ben, you weren't surprised when Reed told about Johnny and Amara last night…"

"Oh, of course I wasn't," Ben huffed. "First, I knew it'd happen one day, and second, when I was looking for Amara today in the morning, I noticed her stuff in Johnny's room… so that was either she spent a night with Johnny, or Matchhead is a drag queen."

Amara huffed too and Johnny gave Ben a look.

**Please! Please! Review!**

**P.S. you better don't google ichthyosis. Promise I'll try to mention it less in the next chapters. **


	16. Chapter 15

**Hey people=)) you were not very good as reviewers this time=( but thanks to **_**Nelle07**_**, **_**bluestar71**_** and a special thanks to **_**Cookie4Me**_** a.k.a. Cookie for writing me PMs and actually inspiring me! there will be a part in the next chapter that is based on Cookie4Me's idea, but I'll tell more before the next chap. Oh, BTW the next chap is already finished so now it's up to you when I'll update=) so review!**

**Yeah, and to Dreamcatcher94 – thank you for alerting and adding both me and the story to favs, but maybe just maybe you'll review next time? That'd be awesome!**

**Oh, almost forgot to say I'm soooooo sorry for all those mistakes, typos and misspellings I made and still make. I recently went through the whole story and it almost made me sick how I suck=(( sorry again, that could be lame excuse that English is my second language, but it still hurts to be so awful=( though I'm not sure I'll fix all those in previous chapters, I'm also lazy… oh, and sorry for calling Amara's suit a costume… that's pathetic, I know=)**

**Soooo, now to the story! (though I'm not sure you read all that above… I normally skip it when I read another stories=)**

Johnny leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. It was 11 am and he was already tired like hell. He has been helping Sue and Reed with their researches – well, that was how they all were calling it, but on the real the guy couldn't help thinking he's just wasting time. He never said that out loud and no one else did, but Johnny knew that all this time he's just been trying to recap – or, more correctly, learn – what he should've learned in school. He's been cursing himself, in school he thought that he has the whole life ahead and he'll have plenty of time to learn what he really needs to know, but right now that was the biggest problem – time. He didn't need a calendar to count the days he's spent in the lab and he knew that Amara has now 56 days left.

"Coffee?" a female voice asked from behind him. Johnny turned around and saw Amara with a mug of hot coffee.

"Oh, that's right what I need," he stretched his arm and covered the girl's hand that was holding a mug with his own.

A light smile touched her lips as she let go of it. "You didn't wake me up."

"Didn't want to," Johnny smiled too and took a sip. "What are your plans for today?"

"Dunno," Amara shrugged and crossed her arms. "I don't make any plans lately, just do whatever I want."

"You know that sounds frightening, especially since you never tell me what are you so busy with."

"Just having fun," Amara shrugged again, "while you are busy with that crap," she nodded towards papers on Johnny's table and his computer.

"Sweet, that's not a crap…"

"First, don't 'sweet' me. Honestly, it makes me think of all your chicks… hopefully the fact that I will be the only one of them who ended the relationship by dying, I'll stay special for you anyways," the girl smiled wryly.

Johnny put the mug on the table with a loud noise.

"Amara, don't you ever say that you…"

"Okay, okay, got it," she waved her hand, "so then second, what are you up to?" Amara came closer to the desk and looked at the computer screen. "Wikipedia?" she raised her eyebrows sarcastically and looked at the guy.

Johnny blushed a little feeling confused. "Just checking some facts…"

Amara shook her head smiling sarcastically.

"So, any luck?" she asked after a while. It was obvious to Johnny that she's just asking that to ask something. He saw that she already accepted the possibility of her soon death and Johnny hated that attitude.

"Um… what are metastases?" he checked his papers.

"Cancer cells," Amara answered immediately. "Why?"

"Shit!" Johnny exclaimed and stood up, "I went to the wrong link!"

The guy saw Amara hiding a smile. "Don't say a word!" he raised his hands stopping the girl from laughing at him.

"Look, Johnny," Amara started in a serious tone, "let's just face it, you know _nothing_ about genetics and you can't help Sue and Reed. Here you are just trying to learn what you should've learned in school which means you're just wasting time again."

"It's not like that…" Johnny started but the girl interrupted.

"Johnny, I've talked to Reed, he says it is, and I know that myself. Believe me, everyone does."

"Oh, right, I forgot everyone knows I'm an idiot," the guy huffed trying to hide anger. But he was only angry with himself.

Amara gave out a small laugh, "that's not true either."

Johnny huffed again.

"Look, I've been chatting with Ben…"

"Wow, that does sound like fun," Johnny snorted. "'bout what? Alicia? Or spaceships?"

"'bout you," the girl answered a little bit nervously and looked down at the floor.

"Me? oh great, I can imagine what that Rockhead tells you about me," the guy threw his arms up. "Why would you even ask him about me?"

"Because who else can I ask? If I want to know something about you that your profile doesn't contain?" Amara looked up at Johnny. "If everyone else, including you is in this stupid lab trying to find a cure that no one will ever find…"

"Don't say that!"

"Johnny, face it: I'm dying," she continued ignoring the guy, "Look, Ben told me about that talk you had in some bar almost two years ago… d'you remember how you were feeling when you knew that the Earth can disappear soon? Well that's kinda what I feel now," Amara swallowed. "So if you… if you care about me, then that would be kinda better if you spend time with me and not in this lab…" she was speaking slowly, a little bit awkwardly, and her eyes were avoiding Johnny's.

"So you say you want to spend time with me?" the guy crossed his arms and smiled triumphant.

Yes, actions do speak louder than words, and by how Amara was acting lately Johnny knew what she was feeling for him, and yes, he was enjoying it, but sometimes it is just pleasant to _hear_ what someone is feeling from that someone himself.

Actually, that was the way Johnny was using in his 'before Amara' life as he was now calling it; he was saying a lot without doing a lot or caring about a girl. And heard even more back.

But with Amara it was absolutely different. Johnny was thinking she has some difficulties confessing what she thinks or feels out loud. So now he just wanted to make her say that. At least for once.

"So?" Johnny insisted not taking his eyes off of the girl.

She gave him a glare that was both confused and angry. The guy now knew that that duet of feelings was the one that appeared most often.

"Come on, just say that you _want_ to spend time with me!" the guy exclaimed with a smile.

"Well I was just thinking _you_ would want to do that, because I wanna go to an aqua park and have fun there and maybe you'd like to join me," Amara shrugged her shoulders demonstratively.

"But you can't grow your tail," Johnny started confused.

"D'you think that even if I could I'd do that in public?" Amara looked at him sarcastically. "I can still swim like any other girl… I don't have a bikini but I borrowed one of Sue's… still don't wanna join me?" she tilted her head. "Alright, see you then," the girl continued without a pause for Johnny to speak and turned to leave.

"Hey, hey, wait! Bikini? You wanna wear a bikini in public? In some aqua park?" Johnny exclaimed in indignation. "Where there are guys all around?"

Amara swiftly turned back around and came close to Johnny. "Well if you don't want me to then you better leave all that papers and your stupid idea to help Reed…"

"Hey, you tricked me?" the guy realized what the girl was doing.

"You are unbelievable," she sighed, stepped closer, wrapped her arms around Johnny's neck and pressed her lips to his.

"Let's just get outta here, please," Amara whispered after they broke a kiss still hugging him.

"Okay, swee- I mean Amara," Johnny kissed the girl's neck and let go of her. "Hey, why don't you like those words?" he asked when they were in the passageway.

"I don't like words, because sometimes there's nothing behind them," Amara didn't look at the guy.

Johnny wanted to say something but Amara didn't let him.

"Actually, I wasn't going to aqua park," she looked at him mischievously. "I had another idea."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Hey, Johnny, what's up?" Sue asked not looking at the door when Johnny entered the kitchen where she, Ben and Reed were. Then she looked up at her brother, "What are you wearing? Is that a… overalls?"

Johnny looked like a fish out of water. He was just shaking his head and murmuring something to himself.

"Johnny?" Sue repeated with concern and Ben and Reed looked at the younger Storm too.

"She's… she's crazy!" the guy finally exclaimed and threw his arms up. "She's just… just… " he was looking for another word but failed, "crazy!"

"Who?" Ben frowned. "And where's Amara?"

"I'm here," the girl entered the kitchen too, smiling lightly, "was trying to park Johnny's car."

"And who's crazy?" Reed was curious too.

"Amara!" Johnny exclaimed even louder and Amara fought a laugh. "We went bungee jumping, Amara wanted," Johnny was continuing on a little bit rageous, "I jumped first, then she did, and everything was okay, then Amara said she wants to jump once more, so I agreed…"

"Johnny, drink up," Sue handed him a glass of water and the guy automatically took a sip.

"And then," he continued, "just imagine, I am standing on the ground and watch her jump and then the rope goes one way, and Amara goes another! She's just falling without a rope!"

"What?" Sue looked at Amara with wide eyes and so did the others.

"Look, Johnny didn't say there's been an artificial lake underneath and I just wanted to swim!" Amara shrugged and shook her head.

"Yeah, so you just detached the rope and tucked it with your feet and even the guy that was controlling all that didn't notice!" Johnny looked at her angrily.

"And why is Matchhead wearing that suit?" Ben chimed in.

Amara huffed.

"I flamed on," the guy answered now less loud. "I forgot I wasn't wearing my suit so…"

"So you burned all your clothes and had to borrow that suit?" Ben finished for him and tried to hide an ironic smile.

"Yes I did," Johnny gave him a glare.

"Wow, Matchstick," Ben shook his head.

"And what should've I done? Huh?" the younger Storm got louder again.

"Did you think I was trying to commit a suicide?" Amara frowned.

"I didn't have time to think!" Johnny turned to her, "I just saw you falling, what else could I do?"

No one responded.

"Um…" Amara started after a while, "was it that bad?" she looked at Johnny unsurely. "I mean," she added when she met his misunderstanding look, "did you really… were you really… scared for me?"

"And how else could I be?" the guy shook his head.

Amara frowned and sat onto one of the stools, staring at the table.

"I didn't think that, uh, someone cares for me…" she added almost silently.

"Are you… are you serious?" Johnny exclaimed angrily. "And what is all that stuff that we do, huh? And when I tell you that _I_ care, you don't believe me?"

The girl didn't answer. Johnny shot her another glare and rushed out of the kitchen.

When he was already in the passageway he heard Amara's voice behind him.

"Johnny! Johnny, wait!"

She ran up to him.

"Johnny!"

"What?" he turned around to face her. His voice wasn't angry anymore, just tired.

"Look, I didn't mean that."

"What? Confessing that you don't believe me?"

"Johnny, I'm sorry! It's just," she looked away and then back at the guy, "the life you'd had, the life I'd had… I just can't get used to those changes so fast. The fact that to someone it actually matters how I feel…"

"And that I _care_ about someone?" Johnny understood what she meant.

"Well, that too," Amara nodded a little. "Your reputation kinda makes it hard to believe…"

Johnny sighed and embraced the girl. "Just believe," he whispered.

"I'm doing my best," she whispered back. "I think you could really use a nap," Amara added louder.

"O-kay…" Johnny let go of her. "Join me?"

"Guys, I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Reed's voice chimed in, "but I have something to say to Amara…"

"You found the cure?" Johnny asked immediately.

"No, not yet," Reed shook his head, "but I'm working on it and…"

"Then what is that?" Amara asked.

"While you were absent a woman called… she introduced herself as Jeanette O'Connor and said she would like to talk to you in person," the scientist looked at Amara.

"Jeanette O'Connor?" the girl frowned.

"You know her?"

"Yeah, kinda… she's one of the civil heads of NGA… she's responsible for finance or something like that, as far as I remember… why would she want to talk to me?"

"She wouldn't say, but she asked you to call her as soon as possible," Reed shrugged.

"O-kay…" Amara bit her lip, "then we need to go," she looked at Johnny, "and then I'll call her. I'll be right back, Reed."

"You mustn't come with me, you know, I know where my room is," Johnny teased after Reed left.

"Well the fact that _I_ care is an innovation too," Amara smirked at him.

"Oh, you admitted that?" Johnny stopped in the middle of the staircase.

"Just shut up and let's go," the girl's smile faded and she continued walking.

The guy smirked and followed her. "Okay, I got it, actions, not words… I think I'll take a shower first… join me?"

"I need to call… you know the very fact that a delayed the call to see if you're okay is… really unprofessional," Amara entered Johnny's room first and turned back to the guy, "so it'd be great if you be in the bed as quick as possible."

"Oh, okay," Johnny nodded. "If you're desperate I can just burn this suite right on me and then I'll be naked really fast…"

"Johnny, I'm serious," the girl raised one eyebrow but Johnny could tell her eyes were laughing. "Go take a shower and go to bed."

"Or what if I faint in there?" he pointed at the bathroom door with his thumb, "and no one would help me?"

"Okay, if that'll make you feel safer, I'll sit outside the shower cabin and wait, deal?" Amara crossed her arms with the same expression on her face.

"No-o, then you'll get bored… I don't want that too," Johnny was moving closer and closer to the girl and when he reached her he was pushing her towards the bathroom door. "Why waiting outside if you can be inside?"

"Johnny, stop," Amara smiled and the guy immediately kissed her lips. "Stop…" she tried to protest but Johnny captured her lips in a proper kiss and she obeyed.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Johnny opened his eyes and looked around trying to understand what time it is. He checked his watches, it was 5.56 pm. The guy stretched and smiled. He wasn't lucky enough to have a 'proper' sex earlier with Amara but the makeout session in the shower cabin almost paid off it and left him hopes for the coming night.

Still smiling to his thoughts he dressed up and went downstairs. It was empty in the hallway and the guy headed to the kitchen.

Ben was there with Alicia.

"Still eating?" Johnny mocked Ben, "you are getting chubbier, you know… hey Alicia."

"Hello, Johnny, had a nice day?"

"Not really, but I have my hopes up for the night," the guy huffed and took an apple juice from the fridge.

"Ugh, Matchhead, if you _say_ you changed then make it _look_ like you did," Ben grimaced. "Is Amara okay with all your jokes?"

"Oh, we live with 'less words, more action' motto," Johnny gave him a look too but felt slightly uncomfortable. Just a little bit. "Where's everyone?" he changed the topic.

"D'you really have to ask?" Ben snorted.

"Yeah, right… and where's Amara?"

"That woman from NGA came and they're in the living room."

"She came _here_?" Johnny was surprised.

"Yes, about twenty minutes ago."

"So how've you guys been do-" the guy started.

"Shut up!" a yell came from the living room and Johnny recognized Amara's voice. "Shut up!"

The guy turned his head towards the doors and then rushed out of the room.

"What happened?" he stormed into the living room and saw Amara on her feet near the couch where a woman about 40 years old was sitting.

Amara didn't look at him, she was glaring at the woman.

"Alexis, listen…" the woman started but Amara yelled again.

"Don't call me that! My name is Amara!"

"What's going on?" Reed, Sue, Ben and Alicia came in.

Amara looked at them with panic on her face. The woman was still looking at her.

"Miss O'Connor was going to leave," the girl said in a shaky voice but doing her best to make it sound normal.

"No I was not," the woman stood up too. Her voice wasn't even as well. "I know you can't forgive me now…"

"Now? You say I can't forgive you _now_?" Amara's voice turned into a shriek. "Why did you even come here? Why did you have to tell me all that?" she was breathing heavily.

"What I did was for your own good…" the woman started but Amara interrupted her again.

"For my own good? You left me for my own good?" tears appeared in the girl's voice.

"Amara, what's going on?" Reed asked loudly.

The girl didn't answer.

"Miss O'Connor?" Reed turned to the woman.

She didn't answer either.

"Why are you quiet now, huh?" Amara asked angrily looking at the floor.

"You wanted me to shut up," Miss O'Connor answered bitterly.

The girl huffed still looking down.

"I am Amara's mother," the woman said after she took a deep breath.

Johnny noticed that Amara winced. And only after a second he realized what the woman just said.

"Mother?" Sue exclaimed. The others were speechless.

Miss O'Connor nodded.

"Alexis, I understand what you feel now…" she started but Amara interrupted her yet again.

"Don't call me that!" she looked at the woman and yelled so loud Johnny thought his head will explode.

_Good that there's no water around._

"My name is Amara! Amara!" the girl continued shouting. "Alexis is dead! How dare you come here after what you did? And tell me that you understand how I feel?" she took a deep breath, "you have no idea what I feel and what I felt when you left me, your own child!"

The woman was looking at Amara and Johnny saw a tear streaming down her right cheek.

"Did you forget it, huh? Forget how an ugly five year old girl was begging her mother not to go away? She was crying, she was grabbing her mom's hands, but that mother still left, and the girl was alone around all those kids and adults who hated her," Amara was looking straight at Miss O'Connor and didn't even blink though tears were streaming violently down her face. "Well I remember all that, and you will never understand what I felt…"

"But I didn't have choice…"

Amara wasn't listening, "you know it was such a relief when after one of the experiments I woke up and realized that I don't feel anything… but even then when I thought of that day I could feel that anger! Good thing that that continuous pain was gone, all that left was that emotion… but even that was enough to hate you. And when all feelings were back…"

Amara sobbed and sat down on the floor like her legs suddenly became limp.

Johnny remembered that night right after they were back from the mission… it felt ages ago.

_Now that's why she was a psycho that night. _

That thought made him run to Amara, he tried to help her up but she just shrank.

"Alexis, I'm sorry…"

"Shut up!" Amara raised her head and yelled at the woman so angrily everyone else was horrified.

With that the girl slowly stood up, ignoring Johnny's help, and headed towards the doors.

"Babe, I'm here," Johnny whispered following her closely but she didn't pay attention, even to the fact he called her 'babe'.

Without saying a word she went upstairs and into Johnny's room. There she lay on the bed and curled into fetus position still ignoring the guy's presence. She didn't cry, much to Johnny's surprise.

"Amara, listen," Johnny sat on the bed and started speaking but today Amara definitely didn't want to hear anyone out.

"Not now," she whispered and curled up tighter, "please."

Johnny wanted to ask whether he should leave but he was afraid she'll say 'yes'. He didn't want to leave her alone, that fear that she can commit a suicide was still vivid in him.

So he moved down to the floor, his back against the bed, and hid his head in hands.

_Why doesn't she believe me?_

Again Amara was acting like she doesn't need his help, she was ignoring him downstairs, on their way upstairs and now too. The only thing that made it easier was that she came into _his_ room, not hers, but Johnny was afraid she didn't do it on purpose, just automatically, because last nights she spent here.

_But everything was almost okay until today! She confessed she cares about me! Why did that woman have to come here _now_?_

Then his thoughts went into another direction.

Jeanette O'Connor. Amara's mother, that left her in an orphanage in the age of five. Amara said, she figured that was because of her mother's career… well turned out she was right. That woman _did_ make a career.

The guy couldn't figure what he felt now. On one hand, anger, hatred because that woman made Amara suffer, she practically betrayed her, her own child!

But on the other… she still came back. And she's alive. He knew he could forgive his mother anything if she was alive.

He quietly stood up and looked at Amara. She was asleep, still curled up. Johnny went out, took a blanket from Amara's room and came back. He covered the girl with the blanket and left the room.

He found everyone in the living room, except Amara's mom, she was already gone.

"How's Amara?" Sue noticed Johnny first.

"Asleep," the guy sighed and sat down in the armchair.

Sue nodded. No one was speaking for a while.

"Did she… that woman… explain anything?" Johnny broke the silence.

"Yes, well, briefly," Reed answered. "Just as Amara suspected, her father left after her birth, and Jeanette was raising the kid alone without a constant job. When Amara was five, Jeanette got a small place in the human resources in NGA, that was her first proper job and she couldn't combine it with raising a sick kid, so she put Amara in the orphanage. About four years later a group of scientists, led by Woods, proposed a program of making a 'marine device' from a human being, and Woods really wanted it to be approved by the board of directors. Jeanette was in the finance department at that time, and made a deal with Woods: he takes Amara as an object of the researches or Jeanette makes up documents that will prove that this program is too expensive and could cause losses. So he chose Amara, the board approved the project and the rest of it we know," Reed finished and took a deep breath.

"Did Woods know why that… Jeanette told him to take Amara?" Johnny asked.

"Well, she said that when she left Amara, she made a certificate of death…"

"What? Death?" Johnny looked at Reed with wide eyes.

"Yes, and she changed Amara's middle and last name before the orphanage… she had a friend that could do that. Jeanette wanted a clean profile."

"And what is her name?"

"That friend's?" Reed frowned.

"No, Amara's."

"Well… her birth name is Alexis Chloe O'Connor, and it was changed to Alexis Ria Pierce."

"Alexis…" Johnny pronounced slowly as if tasting the name. "It suits her."

"But I don't think she's fond of it," Alicia's sad voice chimed in.


	17. Chapter 16

**Hey guys, here comes the next chapter=) ****it was not that long, right? But I haven't even started the next chapter so I honestly don't know what I'll update next time.**

**As usual, huge thanks to **_**Gollum4077**_**, **_**Reader**_** and **_**Cookie4Me**_**.**

**And personally:**

**To **_**Reader**_**: I loved your first review but the second one kinda caught me off guard, because, you know, I can't update every day. You should check other stories and other authors, sometimes they don't update in months. So the next update will be in couple of weeks as I've already mentioned, so take it or leave it. oh, of course if it was the same anonymous Reader.**

**To **_**Cookie4Me**_**: I think you'll like the second paragraph=)))**

Johnny woke up and found himself alone in the bed. On Amara's side of the bed he found a scrap of paper. 'Not going to commit a suicide' he read and frowned not quite understanding what it meant.

_Well, it would've been worse if she wrote 'going to commit a suicide'. So guess that's okay. _

The guy smiled but the smile faded away as he remembered what happened yesterday. _Yeah, the visit of Amara's mother was some surprise. _He sighed, dressed up and left the room.

To his surprise Ben wasn't in the kitchen. He was sitting on the couch in the living room watching TV.

"Morning," Johnny greeted Ben and yawned.

"Morning to you too, Matchstick," Ben answered looking at the screen.

"Had a good night with Alicia?" the guy flopped onto the couch too.

"None of your business," the man huffed.

"Just kidding," Johnny patted Ben's back with one hand. "Honestly."

"I know, kid," Ben patted Johnny too with a mocking parental smile.

"Hey, don't 'kid' me!"

The older man snorted. "Are you okay? After what happened yesterday?" he asked now seriously.

"Yeah, kinda…"

"I saw Amara earlier, she said she wanted to walk."

"Oh, okay… I was wondering where she is… when exactly did she leave?"

"About an hour ago. She'll be okay, she's a good girl," Ben smiled comforting.

"I know she is…" Johnny sighed.

"Any problems?" Ben frowned.

"No, no problems…" the guy started but then sighed again. "Actually, there is something that bothers me… she," Johnny took a deep breath, "she doesn't trust me," he confessed.

"What d'you mean? I thought you guys are getting along?"

"Umm… if you don't take into account that fact that we sometimes talk to each other a little too loud, then yes, we are. Just… the way she acted yesterday," the guy ran both hands through his hair. "Like she didn't need me. when I tried to help her up she ignored me, when I tried to talk to her in the room she ignored me yet again… she just curled up on the bed and said she wants to be alone."

Ben didn't respond and Johnny continued.

"And earlier yesterday she told me that it's hard for her to start to trust me just like that. And that bugs me!" the guy exclaimed angrily.

"Hey, easy there!" Ben chuckled, "admit it, there is a good reason for her not to trust you."

"But I changed!"

"Johnny, you can't just snap your fingers and change, come on, don't act like a little boy!"

"Then what should I do, Mr. Wisdom?"

"Don't act like a dork, that's a first, and…"

"Okay, I guess I have to cope with this one and then move to the 'a second'," Johnny shook his head sarcastically.

"Yeah, you got that right."

They remained silent for a while.

"What I wanted to say is she needs time," Ben looked at his younger teammate. "She used to deal with everything on her own and that can't change in a minute. Or even in a month. You both can't. But I'm sure she tires her best."

"She does?"

"Sure thing! She always comes to you when she needs help, which means she understands that you care for her. she just needs time to get used to it."

"Wow, Mr. Phil, that's deep!"

"When you said that last time, I was right and Sue and Reed got together, so your weak attempts to get on my nerves will always fail," Ben crossed his arms and gave Johnny a look.

"Hey, I'm being serious!" the guy raised his hands.

"The question is," Ben ignored him, "will you be able to _always_ be there for her? through whatever?"

"Oh, now you're talking like a priest, ugh!" Johnny frowned, "We've already went through that with Reed, I made my choice!"

"Well, good for you,' Ben shook his head, "so hold on to that."

"I will," Johnny looked at him resolutely.

A mischievous grin spread across Ben's face. "So now I finally can say that…"

"Say what?"

"Looks like somebody is in lo-ove," the older man sang smiling mockingly.

"Hell no I'm no-" the guy started violently but then stumbled. And found himself puzzled. "I've never thought…you know… 'bout that…" he looked at Ben unsure.

"Honestly?" Ben looked really surprised.

"I mean… what happened lately… that's just, well, too much, and I didn't have time to… you know… just think…" Johnny was stumbling.

"Here you are, not in the kitchen, what a surprise," they turned to the door and saw Amara there.

"Yeah, we suddenly remembered there're other places here except kitchen," the guy smiled and stood up, but couldn't make himself come up to her.

_Hell… how much could she hear?_

"You okay, kid?" Ben's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey, I told you not to 'kid' me!" Johnny turned to him.

"I mean Amara," Ben raised an eyebrow.

The girl laughed and shook her head. They all went silent.

"Oh, come on, just kiss already!" Ben exclaimed.

Johnny gave him a look but to his surprise felt Amara's hand on his own and noticed that she quietly came closer to him.

"Hey, I know I used to be a jerk…"

"Yeah, I know," she smiled and put her arms on his shoulders and pressed her lips to Johnny's.

"Hey guys… oh, sorry."

Johnny and Amara parted and saw Reed and Sue in the doors. Sue was smiling her 'oh that's so cute' smile and Reed had an 'oops, sorry' expression on.

"Oh boy," Amara whispered and put her head onto Johnny's shoulder. The guy was sure she's blushing, and, well, somehow he felt confused too.

He saw Ben mouthing 'somebody's in love' and gave him a glare.

"Anyone hungry?" Sue broke the silence.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Crap, my head literally hurts after those damn exercises," Johnny started and offered Amara a beer. It was evening and they were standing at the balcony.

"But you need to learn how to use that new side of your powers," the girl took the mug. "Actually I'm surprised you weren't doing that before, because everyone else, even Reed, despite all his lab work, already took a hold of it."

"Come on, you sound like a teacher, and I don't wanna come back to school, thank you," Johnny huffed and took a sip of his beer.

_Oh, actually, I'd love her to be a teacher if…_

That thought made the guy smirk but he bit his lip.

"D'you have a white chemise?" he started trying to keep a straight face.

"Sure, why?"

"And a tight knee-high skirt?"

Amara frowned and looked at him sarcastically, "the next question will be about a pointer, won't it?" she tilted her head.

"You read my thoughts," Johnny shook his head and then gave Amara his famous smile.

"Oh no, that's not working on me," the girl shook her head too and looked at the city, sipping the beer.

"At all?" Johnny pouted.

"M-hm."

"You sure?" the guy came closer to her.

"Yup."

"Absolutely?" Johnny leaned down to the girl's neck when an over exaggeratedly happy voice chimed in.

"What a night, guys!" Ben exclaimed while approaching them swiftly with a huge grin on his face. "Like you can smell the romance in the very air!"

Amara bit her lip trying not to laugh and pretended to be totally busy admiring the city view.

"Hey, Rockhead, whassup? Why not with Alicia?" Johnny tried not to show an irritation in his voice.

"Oh, she's busy, and that's a total crap, you know, because it feels like this night screams 'spend me with someone you love'!" Ben exclaimed dramatically.

This time Amara couldn't help it and chuckled. "Sorry," she squeaked and took another sip.

"Really?" Johnny looked at his older teammate like he saw him for the first time. "Well then why won't you meet Alicia up, or, no-no, even more romantic, buy her flowers and sing a serenade under her window?"

"Actually that's not a very good idea right now, Matchhead," Ben sighed, again, dramatically. "She's with her step brother's niece's cousin, they're arranging the funerals of the best friend of their great-great-grandmothers' niece's second husband, who was at the same time the second son's of Alicia's mother's great-grandfather's adopted son's biological father, so you see, that's not the right moment."

Amara now completely turned her back to the men and Johnny saw her back shaking with soundless laughter.

"Oh… oh…" the guy was taken aback for a while.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," the older man nodded several times, "I hate it when something or someone wouldn't let me spend some quality time with my girlfriend, that just totally sucks! And well you may be okay with some objective circumstances, I mean, you can't control them, that's why they call them 'objective', you know, but when some people just come around and speak and speak and speak… that's completely unbearable!"

"You think so?" Johnny made a face.

"Absolutely! Hate those people! Oh, I hang around you guys for a while, okay? I'm bored without Alicia," Ben sighed.

"Sure thing," Johnny's voice scared the guy himself, especially after he spend the whole day practicing burning things.

"Oh, cool. And you know what? You can meet those nosy annoying people in the Baxter too!"

"Really?" Johnny kept playing along.

"Yeah, I sometimes see him around here, he's tall, blonde and calls himself 'the hottest superhero of the world'… he used to annoy one good guy and his girlfriend… you know, I think that poor annoying guy was just jealous…"

"Jealous?" Johnny exclaimed finally understanding Ben's game. "You honestly think so? Well you forgot to mention, that 'good guy' looked like a freak circus escapee and that 'annoying guy' didn't claim himself 'the hottest superhero', that's what all people on the Earth think!"

"Oh, that annoying 'hottest superhero' was envying that 'good guy' because despite all that media circus around him that 'hottest superhero' was completely and absolutely alone," Ben's voice became serious and he was looking straight at the younger guy.

"O-kay," Amara chimed in, "I really don't wanna know where this is going," she snorted, "but that was fun."

"Yeah, hilarious," Johnny added dully and turned away, putting both arms onto the handrail.

"Hey, hey, Matchhead, you never took it seriously, remember?" Ben sounded concerned.

"Never will," Johnny didn't turn back.

"Babe, don't be sad," the guy heard Amara's voice from right behind him. the next moment she wrapped her arms around Johnny's torso and put her head onto his back.

Johnny smiled and placed his arms above the girl's.

"You used 'babe'?" he asked in an absolutely different voice and turned his head trying to see her.

"Yeah, you never said _you_ don't like it."

"Ben, are you here?" they heard Alicia's voice from the door.

"Yes, sweetheart," Ben beamed and ran to her.

"Oh, Amara, Johnny, you in here too? Sorry, couldn't get that earlier, it's that fresh air…" the woman said apologetically when she and Ben came closer. "Do we bother you?"

"No, absolutely," Amara answered sincerely.

"Actually," Johnny added, "we were going to leave not to bother _you_," he emphasized to word 'you', "so we are out."

"Oh, then, see you," Alicia smiled.

"Yeah, later."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Johnny, wake up! Please, wake up! Please! Johnny!" a desperate female voice broke into Johnny's sleep. He opened his eyes for a second and noticed a long-haired silhouette above him.

"Babe, what's wrong?" the guy tried to open his eyes again, but failed, he was too sleepy.

"Wake up!"

"Hmm?"

"Johnny, it started!" Amara's voice became even more desperate. "It's happening!"

"What's happening?"

"Just open your eyes!" she almost screamed and Johnny did as she asked.

And blinked couple of times.

Amara was sitting on the bed next to him, and the moonlight, coming through the half-open curtains, was lighting up her face.

Johnny gulped.

There were scales in some places, and the contour of her eyes was yellow, just like that man's on that Internet picture.

The guy noticed that scales were appearing in other areas that were clean before.

"Johnny," Amara whispered; her expression desperate. She was close to tears as never.

"No-no-no-no," the guy murmured, sitting up too and moving back from the girl.

"Johnny, what are you… are you leaving?" Amara sobbed.

"Am-amara, I'm… I'm sorry," he was still moving back, "I-I can't…"

"But you promised me, remember?" the girl stretched her left arm towards him and Johnny noticed with awe that her arm was covered in outgrowths too.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Johnny was repeating.

"You told me you'll be with me through whatever, that you will never leave me!" a tear ran down Amara's cheek. "You promised me!"

"Amara, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he didn't know what else to say. "But I can't! I honestly can't! Please don't make me…"

"Johnny?"

"Amara, I'm sorry, I can't…"

"Johnny, what's wrong?"

"Please, don't make me, please…" he was pleading.

"Johnny, wake up!"

The guy felt somebody was shaking his shoulder.

"Wake up!" a female voice ordered.

Johnny swiftly opened his eyes and sat up.

"What's going on?" he asked breathing unevenly.

"I wanted to ask you the same, actually."

The guy looked left and saw Amara sitting next to him, covering her upper part with a blanket. Her face was moonlit and her skin looked just as smooth as ever, and her expression was puzzled.

"You were saying you're sorry, calling me… why are you looking like that?" she frowned stronger.

"Oh, God, thank you!" Johnny exhaled and leaned to the girl, kissing her face, neck. "Babe, you are so beautiful," he ran his hand through her hair. "So beautiful…"

"Johnny, what are you… Johnny, stop," Amara whispered right in his ear; that only made the guy kiss her faster. "What happened?"

"Nothing, sweet, just a nightmare… just a mere nightmare," with that Johnny captured Amara's lips in a long kiss.

"Wait," the girl broke it, "wait," she leaned back. "A nightmare?"

"Yeah, yeah," Johnny tried to kiss her again but she wouldn't let him.

"And you were calling my name? was that a nightmare about me?" Amara looked into Johnny's eyes.

"Well, you were there too," the guy admitted. "But nothing…"

"You were asking not to make you, saying that you can't…And you were saying you're sorry, Johnny… what were you sorry for?" Amara's voice was cold.

"Babe, honestly, that was nothing…"

Amara raised her hand and stopped him.

"I was diseased, right?" she kept looking into Johnny's eyes. "In your dream I was diseased?"

The guy just nodded.

"And you were saying that you can't," Amara continued, "and apologizing…"

The girl went silent and took her eyes off of Johnny.

After staring down at the bed for some time she swiftly bent down, picked her nightgown from the floor and put it on.

"What… wait, what are you doing?" Johnny frowned.

"You made your choice, Johnny," Amara stood up.

"What choice? That was just a dream!" the guy tried to protest.

"That was a very realistic dream, as far as I understood by all that fear in your voice," she was picking her stuff from the floor.

"Amara, I promise you that…" Johnny started but the girl just huffed bitterly.

"You already promised me, remember?"

"That was just a dream," the guy repeated now less confidently.

"That dream can become true every minute, Johnny."

He didn't respond.

"As a matter of fact," Amara gave him a small smile, "I really do think that's for your own good."

"Amara, no, no!" the guy stood up and almost ran to her. "Don't leave, I pro-," he stumbled, "nothing bad is gonna happen, Reed will help you!"

"Well, we'll talk when he does, then… I mean," she took a deep breath, "_if_ he does."

Johnny didn't say anything.

"Go to sleep, Johnny," Amara said tiredly and turned away.

The guy watched her leave the room, then came back to bed and lay down.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

A loud alarm woke Johnny up. He sat up on the bed and then swiftly threw the blanket off, standing up. He knew that alarm thought he hasn't heard it for a long time. It meant that someone on the Earth needs help of the Fantastic Four. All outside thoughts abandoned Johnny's head, he immediately focused on the mission.

The guy put on his suit; that took him about thirty seconds, and ran down the stairs.

"Johnny, you ready?" Sue rushed from the living room. "We got some guy downtown, claiming he would blow up the whole city, but not making any demands."

"A terrorist? Wait, what are you doing here? You're not supposed to go, you're pregnant!"

"We figured that out with Reed already, I'll be more worried if I stay here," Susan answered swiftly, "come on, Ben and Reed are already on the roof."

Johnny nodded and they both ran towards the elevator.

"Okay, guys, we got a problem downtown, the police needs our help," Reed met them on the roof. "Here you go, guys," he handed Sue and Johnny earphones, "we always needed that."

"What's that?" Johnny put his one into his ear.

"Communication devices. I've made them a long time ago but forgot," the scientist answered with an awkward smile. "Oh, and, Johnny, yours is fireproof."

When they were already sitting in the Fantasticar the elevator doors opened again and Amara came in.

When Johnny noticed her, he literally shuddered. The thoughts he was trying to keep away form his head returned again.

"Mind if I join you?" Amara ran towards the Fantasticar.

Johnny noticed she was looking at Reed, not him.

"But, Amara," Reed looked unsurely at her, then at his wife.

"What if you need a kamikaze?" Amara didn't let him finish.

All members of the Fantastic Four stared at the girl.

"What?" she shrugged. "I thought you already got used to my humor."

"Okay, get in," Reed sighed. "Johnny…"

"Got it, you kick me out as always," the guy huffed but undid the belt and jumped off.

Amara climbed in, not looking at him.

"Guys, we're wasting time! Hold on!" Ben shouted and started the engine.

Soon they saw a big crowd underneath, on one of the streets, cars were stuck and formed long lines in all directions. In the center of all that chaos they saw a man, surrounded by police, that was meanwhile keeping a safe distance.

"We've arrived!" Johnny shouted and flew down.

"Okay, guys," Reed started when they landed as close as they could to the crowd, "we have to remember that…"

"What the…" Amara almost jumped on her feet still in the Fantasticar. "Max!"

"What?" Reed looked at her.

"That's Max!" the girl jumped off of the Fantasticar and ran towards the crowd.

"Amara, wait!" Johnny flamed on again and tried to stop her, but when he almost touched her she melted down and the guy saw water maneuvering through the crowd.

Johnny hissed the curse and followed it, knowing where it is heading. Soon enough water passed the Plexiglas police shields and Amara took her normal form again. The crowd sighed. Johnny landed near Amara and the man in front turned to them.

It was Max.

**Cliffhanger!=) turns out I like them=)**

**Reviews pleeeeeeeeeease!**


	18. Chapter 17

**Hello readers=) I know you hate me for that loooong wait but this chap has been really hard to write because I suck at describing actions, and I'm not proud of this one at all. Sorry for that=( but the good thing is whether you review or not I'll post another chap ASAP and there're only 2 chaps left! I can't believe I'm almost done!**

**BUT I'll still LOVE your reviews=)**

"Okay, guys," Reed started when they landed as close as they could to the crowd, "we have to remember that…"

"What the…" Amara almost jumped on her feet still in the Fantasticar. "Max!"

"What?" Reed looked at her.

"That's Max!" the girl jumped off of the Fantasticar and ran towards the crowd.

"Amara, wait!" Johnny flamed on again and tried to stop her, but when he almost touched her she melted down and the guy saw water maneuvering through the crowd.

Johnny hissed the curse and followed it, knowing where it is heading. Soon enough water passed the Plexiglas police shields and Amara took her normal form again. The crowd sighed. Johnny landed near Amara and the man in front turned to them.

It was Max.

"Oh, finally!" Max exclaimed as if they were friends who met near the movies. "Took you long enough you know. I thought superheroes are supposed to act faster."

"Johnny! Johnny, what is going on?"

The guy flinched at the voice coming from nowhere but soon he realized that's the earphone. But he didn't respond.

"Max, what are you doing?" Amara asked confused. All in all she looked out of scene.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Max huffed.

"Being a jerk," Johnny said loudly.

Amara swiftly looked at him and the guy saw anger on her face. Like she was saying 'stay out of it'.

_What the…?_

"Johnny, answer!" Reed's voice from an earphone commanded.

"I've no idea what's going on," Johnny snapped. "Just stay where you are."

Meanwhile Amara and Max weren't speaking. They were staring at each other and Johnny started to feel heat in his head. He didn't like the picture before him.

"Max, I don't know what you're up to but it'll be better if you just stop this right now," Amara finally broke the silence.

"Let me think…" Max made a thinking face, "no, thanks, I'm fine."

"Fine with what? standing in the center of New-York and playing terrorist?"

"And who said I'm playing one?" the guy's voice lost all it's sarcasm.

"Max, I don't understand…" Amara replied quietly.

"nah, you've always been a smart girl, you will get it… unlike your stupid celebrity boyfriend."

"Hey, you dork…!" Johnny couldn't help it but Amara turned to him again.

"Johnny, don't," she said firmly.

The guy opened his mouth to give a witty comeback to Max but instead he just whispered "Amara…?" he was confused.

"Don't insult Johnny you idiot!" some girl shouted and only then Johnny remembered they were actually in the center of the crowd. Some more voices – preferably female – yelled something in agreement.

Johnny smiled lightly, he felt slightly better but just for a moment.

What about Amara and Max they didn't pay attention to the crowd at all.

"Why did you choose him?" Max words were clearly hearable even though he wasn't speaking too loud.

"What?" Amara was obviously taken aback. And so was Johnny.

"Why did you choose him?" the guy repeated. "Just because he has powers, like you do?"

"Max, it's not that…" Amara started but Max interfered.

"Well now we're even," he gave out a laugh and bent down to pick something. Johnny only now noticed he a backpack lying at Max's feet. But the guy didn't take anything form there, he picked something small from the ground.

"Just a tiny stone," Max murmured as if to himself only. He squeezed the stone in his fist for a second and then lightly tossed it aside.

Johnny didn't notice the stone falling but at the moment it touched the ground he heard the sound of explosion.

The street vanished in smoke. People were screaming and running away making a chaos, the police was trying to calm them down though it didn't seem to have any success.

"Johnny, what was that?" he heard Sue's panic-stricken voice from the earphone. "Johnny, you okay?"

The guy didn't answer. Everything around was covered in smoke and he couldn't see Amara.

"Amara, you here? Amara!" he shouted.

"Looks like your boyfriend worries about you," it was Max's voice he heard next. He heard female voice answering but couldn't distinguish the words.

"Johnny?" an earphone again.

"I'm fine, Reed, fine," Johnny answered. "I don't know what happened… he just picked something from the ground and tossed it, that's all!"

"He picked up a bomb?"

"No, not bomb, that looked like a stone…a tiny one… I know that sounds weird, but I saw it myself!"

"Is Amara okay?"

"yeah, she's… she's talking to him…" the guy answered with a disgust frown.

"Okay, let them talk until we figure out what's going on," Johnny heard Reed sigh. "Sue and Ben are on their way closer to you."

"Reed, you better figure that out sooner, cuz I'm not gonna stand that any longer," Johnny almost groaned.

Meanwhile the smoke disappeared and Johnny found himself in the middle of a police circle again, only now it was wider, and all people were even farther from them.

_At least that's good._

Max and Amara were now standing closer to each other, still talking. Johnny couldn't hear what they were saying to each other but it didn't look like Max was about to do her any harm.

Johnny felt relieved but somehow he preferred seeing them shouting at each other.

"Johnny, Johnny, listen carefully," Reed's voice came from an earphone, "tell me step by step what exactly did Max do before something exploded? Every detail!"

"Why?"

"Johnny, just do as I said!"

"O-kay… well, he bent down, picked up something small… well, a stone, I guess, then balled his fist and tossed it… that's all…"

"That's it! I got it! Sue, Ben, Johnny, everyone back to the Fantasticar, right now!" Reed commanded.

"But I can't leave Amara with him!"

"He won't do her any harm, Johnny, do as I said! I understood everything!"

"Be right there, Egghead!" Ben's voice interfered.

Johnny bit his lip.

"Flame on!" he yelled and flew into the sky.

"Reed, this better be important," Johnny spoke as he landed near the Fantasticar. Ben and Sue were still absent.

"I figured what Max is doing," Reed answered swiftly, "doesn't this explosion remind you of something?"

"Reed, I don't have time to solve your puzzles!"

"Okay, then… well, remember our underwater mission? The one that started this whole stuff?" the scientist looked at Johnny and at newly arrived Ben and Sue.

"Sure, why?"

"Remember that thing, that stone or substance or whatever you call it, that Woods was after?"

"Cut that crap, Reed! Stop asking questions and just tell us what the hell is happening around!" Johnny almost yelled.

"Okay, that substance affected our powers, right? So what if it can not only affect creatures with an already altered DNA, but alter it itself?"

"I don't know what I hate more, the fact that you just called us creatures or that you keep asking questions?" Johnny snarled.

"Hold it, Johnny… Reed's right," Sue chimed in. "So maybe Woods was right when he called it a bomb… but… no, something's wrong here…" the woman shook her head.

"Wait, what did Woods tell us about that thing?" Reed asked the question again but answered it himself. "That it can explode in contact with air and that it can alter the structure of other things and therefore turn them into an explosive material… maybe, his information wasn't full, but some sense there was…"

"You mean it affected Max, changed his DNA and now _Max_ can make things explosive?" Sue's eyes widened.

"Hold up, guys, but only five of us were in the lab when that container exploded, remember?" Ben interfered. "We put it in another container like seconds after the explosion, Max wasn't there and the lab doors were closed."

"But what if the substance affected even through the doors?" Sue turned to Reed.

"No, that's impossible," the scientist shook his head. "In that case we'd had a lot of people with altered DNA's, that would've been hard to hide, at least one of them would show that somehow."

"But then again, something's wrong. Max wasn't in the lab with us," Susan frowned.

"Wait, guys…" Johnny interfered. "He was around… I mean, he could be somewhere near the lab…"

The guy tried to recall that day.

"I wanted to talk to him when I saw him walking somewhere, so I called his name… but he wouldn't answer and continued walking… I thought he didn't hear me and followed him, he didn't notice… and soon I lost him, he just turned… left and like disappeared… that was a blind passage…"

"That's when I saw you near our lab?" Sue remembered that moment too.

"Yeah… so…"

"So he could be in some room near the lab…" Reed started.

"And because Woods wanted us constantly under control, Max could possibly peek into the room and therefore be affected as well," Ben finished for him.

"Okay, then what should we do now?" Johnny was already getting angry with all those questions and answers plus he remembered that Amara was all alone with Max.

"I…" Reed started unsurely and then shook his head like he didn't know what to say.

"Look, this thing blows up in the air, right?" Sue chimed in. "So if you surround it by something else, it will lose its explosive powers."

"And _what_ exactly can he make explosive?" Ben looked at Reed and Sue.

Both shook their heads.

"Anything, I suppose," Reed added.

"Okay guys, think we should go back to them…" Johnny started but noticed a stone flying towards the crowd. "No!" the guy screamed and involuntarily, without thinking, sent a flame towards it.

He didn't miss. When the fire faded away, the stone disappeared.

"Moron!" Johnny yelled and flamed on.

When he was already in the air, Reed's voice appeared in the guy's earphones.

"Johnny, burning the bombs looks like a way, you should do that!"

"Got it."

When Johnny landed, he saw Amara shouting at Max. he couldn't distinguish the words but didn't want to.

"What do you think you're doing?" Johnny yelled and both Max and Amara looked at him.

"Oh, our celebrity is back! From an autograph session, I suppose?" Max yelled back with a grin.

"Just shut up and give up!"

"Oh, are you a poet?"

Johnny felt a hot wave in his head again. he shut his eyes and pressed fingers to his temples.

"Johnny!" he heard Amara scream and opened his eyes. He was surrounded by fire, the asphalt around him was burning.

_Funny. _

Johnny just huffed and walked through that fire. He was sure it wasn't dangerous for him.

A smile of relief appeared on Amara's face when she saw Johnny.

"Have new tricks, do you?" Max yelled and took a step forward, looking disappointed Johnny was still alive.

"Look, I don't have time for your villain blah-blah," Johnny answered, "what are you up to?"

While saying this he noticed that Amara, that was standing a foot behind Max, swiftly turned around, surprise on her face.

Then for a while she was listening to something invisible for others – or someone, like Johnny guessed, the girl nodded and then turned into water and melted down. Max didn't notice any of that.

Johnny hid a smile and looked back at Max. and noticed he was looking at Johnny too, examining his face.

"What?" Johnny asked confused.

"Nah, just trying to figure why they like you so much," Max motioned his head towards the crowd, saying that without any jealousy in his voice, just a scientific curiosity, that Johnny saw on Reed's face many times. "Maybe just your powers? Hey, what the..?"

His face turned surprised and he looked down, where his backpack has just disappeared.

Johnny saw Amara appear right before Max.

"What?" Max's eyes became even wider.

Amara suddenly hit Max on the face. Johnny was in shock.

"Cut all that crap, Max," Johnny heard Amara's voice.

"Oh no, I won't," Max huffed and punched the girl in the stomach.

"What the…?" Johnny yelled and ran up to them. "Don't touch her!"

But it didn't look like Amara was out of the fight. She tried to hit Max's face with an elbow but the guy caught it and turned Amara 180 so now he was behind her back still holding the girl's elbow.

"Losing your skills, you know," Max said into Amara's ear. "There were times you could knock me out, remember? Practicing other things with your boyfriend now?"

"Yeah, other things," the girl answered and turned her body into water and melted down.

Max's face remained shocked until Amara appeared couple of feet away from him, near Johnny. At the same time Sue appeared on the other side of the guy.

Johnny was looking at Amara, checking if she's alright.

"Max, stop what you are doing!" Sue said loudly. "You lost!"

"Oh, really?" the guy made a contemptuous face but it was obvious he was just pretending.

"Yes, really!" Johnny answered harshly. "Where would you like to go? Police or FBI? The choice is all yours."

"Guys, no, wait!" Amara chimed in. Both Storm siblings looked at her. "Max needs help, we have to help him."

"Pardon me? you say we have to help him?" Johnny raised his eyebrows. "I think he'll do just fine with a prison hospital."

"Johnny, can't you see it? Sue?" Amara turned to the young woman. "You see something's wrong with Max, that thing he can do… we have to take him to the lab!"

"Lab?" Max exclaimed. "No, thanks, I'll do just fine in jail!"

"You told me minutes ago that something weird's happening to you! And we all saw that! And all that anger… that's not you!"

"I told _you_ and I don't want those superheroes to do anything or help me!" Max snapped angrily.

"Alright, fine, case dismissed, let's pass him to those guys with guns back there and we're done here!" Johnny interfered.

"You need help!" Amara stepped closer to Max.

"I don't! I'm not sick!"

"What is going on here?" it was Reed and Ben who joined them.

Sue handed the backpack she was still holding to Ben.

"Reed, Max needs help," Amara turned her head to the scientist.

"I said I don't!" the guy yelled angrily.

"Guys, what's that?" Ben was looking down to the ground.

The asphalt from the place where Max was standing was changing the color and it looked like a waves were rushing under it in different directions.

"Oh no," Max whispered wincing like he was in pain. "Get away guys, now!"

"What?" Johnny looked at him.

Suddenly the patches of asphalt where the waves died out started to explode one by one. Those explosions didn't remind the bombs, no, they were smaller, it may been confused for firecrackers if they hadn't made the asphalt blow up.

"What the hell?" Ben yelled. His voice drowned in screams of the crowd and police alarms. Johnny looked away and noticed fire trucks around along with police.

"Get outta here!" Max shouted looking at Amara. "It's happening again!"

"Reed?" Sue looked at her husband.

"That's not good! Look at him! he's pulsating!"

Johnny looked at Max and froze. The guy's body was pulsating, just like that something on the submarine.

"What's that? It wasn't like this before!" Max's panicking voice reached Johnny's ears. Max looked like he was in pain, desperately staring at Reed.

Another patch exploded and now the explosion was bigger. This time feet away from Sue.

"Reed, do something!" Amara yelled.

"Sue, put a force field around him!" Reed commanded.

"Reed, look out! Underneath you!" Ben shouted.

The scientist looked down and noticed one of the waves coming right in his direction.

"Reed!" Sue yelled panicking.

With awe Johnny was watching how a wave reached Reed and then asphalt exploded. The light made Johnny close his eyes and turn away.

"No!" Sue yelled.

"Reed," Ben whispered with horror on his face.

"I'm fine, fine!" a transparent statue walked out of the smoke. In a second in turned into Reed.

"Gosh," Johnny exhaled.

"Well, those new powers are handy," the scientist huffed and hugged Sue. Then he looked at his wife seriously. "Put a force field around Max."

"Hey, wait, why?" Amara looked at Reed.

"Amara, remember what happened to that substance on the submarine?"

"Substance? What sub-? Wait," the girl frowned. "What does it have to do with Max?"

"I'll explain everything later, right now we need to isolate him."

"Isolate? You mean…? no! no-no-no!" Amara shouted. "You don't want to say that..."

"Guys, just do something!" Max interfered. His body was still pulsating and that was obviously more and more painful to him.

"Sue, put a force field!" Reed repeated.

"No, don't! it won't help him!" Amara yelled angrily.

"Amara, we can't help him! We need to save others! Last time that rock was pulsating it exploded and affected DNA's of everyone around, we can't let that happen now!" Reed tried to reason her. "And look, he is in pain!"

"But…" the girl stumbled and looked at Max.

His body now was almost white and all blood vessels showed. The body was still pulsating and the pain showed more and more.

"Just do something," Max whispered through his teeth. Another explosion rang out.

"Amara, it's killing him already!" Sue looked at the girl. "But we still can save the others!"

"Alright," Amara answered barely hearable. "Just… give me a sec?"

Sue nodded.

"Amara, just… don't touch him," Reed added. "That might be dangerous."

Johnny watched attentively how the girl ran up to Max. meanwhile another explosion occurred. Glasses in all buildings exploded along with it.

Amara was saying something to Max while explosions continued. He said something back and she nodded. Amara lifted her hand to touch him, but Max stepped back. And said something again.

"Amara!" Reed shouted.

After seconds the girl turned away and started to walk. She wasn't looking anywhere in particularly, her eyes were empty.

When the girl was far enough Sue lifted her hands and a force field surrounded Max. Amara stopped close to it's borders.

"Good, Sue, now you have to hold it," Reed said not tearing his eyes off of Max.

In mere seconds the pulsating got faster and Max fell on his knees.

"It's getting harder!" Sue yelled. She was getting paler too. Johnny started to worry about his sister even more than usual, now with the baby inside… controlling force fields didn't look like exercises for expectant mothers.

"Sue, I know it's hard, but try," Reed looked at his wife.

"My Gosh!" Susan yelled and started to nosebleed. "I can't! I think he'll explode!"

The pulsation in Max's body was meanwhile obviously reaching its peak.

"Sue!" Johnny shouted it awe and ran up to her.

"Jesus! Look at Max!" Ben exclaimed.

The pulsating stopped. Now there was a statue made of some stone-like material that substance was made of.

The explosions stopped as well.

"Guess that's it," Reed's voice sounded too loud in comparison to a now silent street. "Sue, you may take it down."

"You sure?"

"Yes, the substance is only dangerous when its pulsation reaches its peak. Remember there, in the lab the container exploded? Well, here your force field withstood."

Sue hesitated for a couple of minutes but then the force field was away.

Johnny looked at Amara. She was standing still, staring at the statue.

"Don't touch… um… Max," Reed's voice was awkward. "I'll go deal with the police."


	19. Chapter 18

**Hey guys! I have decided to update fast for a change=) actually while I was writing chapter 17 I kinda got a block, but with this chapter the inspiration literally hit me on the face=) but the thing is I won't post the next – and the last – chapter in couple of weeks, and in the end of this one you'll know why.**

**THANKS to **_**Gollum4077, AdaYuki**_** and **_**Cookie4Me**_** for telling me what they think=)**

"Amara, you okay?" Sue looked at the girl carefully when they exited the roof. It was the first time someone spoke to Amara since they got into Fantasticar.

The girl didn't answer. Johnny frowned concerned and caught up with her.

"Amara?"

"Hm?" the girl snapped back to reality and looked at Johnny. "What?"

"You okay?" Johnny repeated Sue's question.

Amara huffed bitterly and didn't reply.

Meanwhile they were walking trough a passageway, Reed and Ben were walking ahead and now they entered the living room.

"I… guess… we all need to sit down?" Reed asked unsurely.

"Yeah, that sounds about nice," Sue replied obviously trying to act average.

Ben, Sue and Reed found themselves places and Johnny was hesitating. He was looking at Amara who still looked out of scene and wasn't going to sit down.

"Um… Amara?" Sue asked unsurely.

"What?" Amara snapped back to reality again. She was leaning against the wall.

"You okay?"

"Okay?" the girl frowned. "Yeah, like I just chopped my arm," she smiled crookedly.

"Amara, look, we're sorry…" Reed started but the girl interrupted.

"That's not your fault, Reed, and you all too… it's not your fault, guys" Amara shook her head. "It's me…"

"What?" Ben exclaimed.

"You? No, it's not you!" Johnny couldn't help it thought he felt too awkward to interfere.

"Reed, what were you saying about that substance we extracted from the Trench?" Amara ignored Ben's and Johnny's words.

"Well… that thing affected our DNA, and it looked like Max was affected too," Reed replied.

"Wait… but he wasn't in the lab…" Amara stopped, "he was spying on us, right?" she looked at Reed again.

The scientist nodded.

"Webby…" Amara gritted through shut teeth.

No one spoke for a while.

"So, Woods just set Max up?" Sue asked no one in particular.

"Technically he set us all up, sending us hell knows where to get hell knows what," Amara huffed.

"So there is a way to… I don't know, sue him?" Ben suggested.

"Sue Webby?" the girl gave out a laugh. "No, he'll say serving in the Navy is not a walk on the beach. There're always risks, that's just how it is… so there's no way… legal one, at least…" she shook her head.

She was silent for a while.

"On the real I am the one to blame," Amara spoke barely hearable.

"Amara, no, you have no reason to blame yourself," Johnny tried to reason her but was ignored again.

"He told me today how it was happening…" the girl was looking down on the floor. "How something weird was happening to him and he didn't know what to do… just don't tell me that's not a reason to threaten to blow up the city," Amara looked up at them.

Johnny flinched. Those thoughts were rolling around in his head.

"He was just lost," Amara continued. "He had no one to help him, he was afraid to tell his parents, he couldn't tell Webby cuz Webby would put him on the lab table and order to start tests", she frowned with disgust.

"He could've come here," Reed spoke unsurely.

"Yeah, sure, after the way he and I broke up," Amara huffed.

Johnny bit his lip.

"You know the feelings he had…" the girl took her eyes off of the floor and looked at the members of Fantastic Four, "you've had that too, and I did… but you had each other, and I…" she chuckled lightly, "had nothing to lose. And Max was alone… because of me," she swallowed.

Johnny felt someone's gaze on himself and looked up. It was Sue, she was looking at the guy with sympathy. He tried to fake a smile but failed.

Amara crossed arms on her chest, eyes glued to the floor, considering something.

"Guys, I need to go," she started suddenly.

"Where?" Johnny looked at her.

"Max asked me… before that…," the girl bit her lip, "to tell his parents about everything, until Webby tells them some crap. So I better go get changed and then go…"

"Need a ride?" Johnny asked, though not hoping she'll say yes.

"No, I'll be fine. See you guys," Amara nodded and swiftly left the room.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Johnny turned the tap off and stepped out of the shower cabin. Heated his body a bit to evaporate water and put a towel around his waist.

In the room he just flopped onto the bed and closed his eyes.

Amara was gone for about ten hours, it was already way past midnight, and she never called.

Johnny didn't know what to do next, didn't know what to say to Amara when she's back or, rather, _if_ she will be back. Will she now blame herself for what happened to Max? For not being able to save him? And the way she cared about Max… maybe that was jealousy, maybe just confusion, Johnny didn't know. He felt like an empty plastic bag that has powers to only drift through the wind. He couldn't find guts to fight whatever was coming.

Johnny opened his eyes and checked alarm clock on his bedside table. 2 am.

The guy swiftly stood up and headed towards the door. He opened a door and saw Amara standing there.

"I was about to knock," she said slowly with a confused expression on her face.

"I was about to check up on you," Johnny said slowly as well.

"May I?"

"Uh, sure," the guy let her in.

"You weren't sleeping," Amara looked at the made up bed.

Johnny didn't answer.

"How're you?" the girl turned to him.

"Me? um… fine," Johnny shrugged. "And… uh… how did that… I mean, you told…" he was stuttering.

"I did. About Max and about myself too," Amara nodded slightly.

Johnny nodded too not knowing what to say. He felt like way back, when Amara just arrived into the Baxter. Back then he didn't know how to behave around her, and neither did he now.

"Do you hate me now?" Amara asked suddenly.

"Hate you?" Johnny was taken aback. Then a smirk touched his lips. "I can't hate you."

Amara smiled unsurely, but with relief. After staring at Johnny for couple of seconds she unexpectedly rushed into his hands.

The guy hugged her and hid his face in the girl's hair.

They were standing like that for a while until Amara leaned back.

"Looks like you need some sleep," she said examining Johnny's face.

Johnny smiled, "if you join me."

Amara smiled too.

"I was afraid you wouldn't come back," Johnny confessed when they were already in the bed. the girl's head was lying on his chest and Johnny was stroking her hair.

Amara didn't respond for a while.

"Maybe, that would've been better…"

"Huh?"

"Johnny, my days are numbered…"

"Don't say that!" the guy made Amara look at him. "We still have time to find the cure!"

Amara put her head onto Johnny's chest again.

"Johnny, it's difficult… even if Reed finds something, I'm not sure I'll use it."

"What?" Johnny lifted the girl's chin and made her look at him again. "What d'you mean you're not sure you'll use it?"

Amara sat up on the bed and hugged her knees.

"You still don't get it, do you?" she asked not looking at the guy.

Johnny stood up on his elbow. "Get what?"

"You had a dream last night, remember?"

"Amara, that was _just_ a dream," Johnny started.

"No, I mean… would you like me to turn into _that_?" the girl looked back at him.

The guy didn't respond.

"See," Amara shook her head, "and I don't blame you, that's right. And I don't want to turn into _that_ either."

"But Reed's a genius," Johnny tried to sound optimistic.

"I'll tell him you believe in him so much," Amara smiled.

"It's not just that he's smart, I just know he'll do everything to save you…"

"Nah, he'll do everything not to blame himself for not doing something."

"I don't get it," Johnny confessed.

"What I mean is… I've already told you guys I'd rather die than turn into what I was before. And I mean it. If Reed won't guarantee me that the formula won't bring ichthyosis back, I won't use it."

Johnny bit his lip considering what Amara just said.

"But no one wants to die," he spoke finally.

"Really? Then why do people commit suicides?" the girl looked back at Johnny.

"Because there's no one around on time to stop them," the guy answered with confidence. "There is always a way out. Everyone who has been saved is grateful."

"You talk like an idealist," Amara huffed. "But there is some sense to your words, some people _are_ grateful for being saved. But some people end up in madhouses, you think they're grateful? Yeah, and more important is that they were put into those madhouses by their relatives."

"But those relatives just don't want that relative of theirs to die," Johnny protested not being sure though Amara got what he wanted to say. After all he was sleepy.

"That's selfish," the girl replied simply, looking in front of her.

"What?" Johnny thought he misheard her. "Selfish? Not wanting anyone to die, or even not let anyone die – you call that selfish?"

"Sure. Think about it. One person – let's call it person A – cares for person B. but that person B doesn't really want to live anymore. That's the decision, that's final, and all that jazz. But the person A constantly holds person B from doing it, hamper him…"

"Well that's understandable, that person A wants person B to live life, I don't know, smell the roses!" the guy protested again.

"But that person B has reasons to die, maybe the life brings that person pain, even though for everyone else that may sound stupid and insignificant, that person suffers. And that person A, wanting that person B to enjoy life, in fact just brings more and more sufferings."

Amara was still not looking at Johnny.

"Okay, that's sad and… difficult, but I don't see how it is selfish," Johnny said after a while.

"That's easy," now Amara turned to look at him. "If that person A _really_ cares for person B it should just want person B be happy, which in our case means let that person die. But the thing is that _person A_ just doesn't want to suffer and live _without_ person B, so person A technically sacrifices it's so called 'love interest' for it's own happiness."

"But… but…" Johnny didn't know what to say. He never thought about it that way. "But if somebody dies for saving the one he loves? When only one of them can survive?"

"Even more selfish. This can be described as 'I don't want to live without him/her, so I'd rather die and make him/her live without me' and even better, live with a feeling that he/she is the one to blame for the death of the beloved one."

"No, that's wrong! It can't be so!"

"It is, Johnny. Well, at least that's what I think," Amara shrugged. "And I know I'm not the only one who thinks so, there are others, I'm sure."

The guy bit his lip not knowing what to say.

"Human beings are selfish, Johnny, that's just our nature."

"I don't believe it," Johnny shook his head. "I don't."

"That up to you," Amara smiled a bit. "Let's get to sleep."

She lay down on the bed, but not the way they were lying before that talk. Now Amara was on the left side of the bed, her back turned to Johnny.

The guy was sitting up for a while, considering what Amara just told him, and then lay back too. He was sick of trying to figure what her actions meant and trying to guess how she'll react on something so he just moved closer to the girl and put his right hand on her waist.

Amara immediately covered his hand with hers.

"I thought you hate me now after what I was saying," she whispered, though not turning to Johnny, but he could hear she was smiling.

"I told you I can't hate you," the guy replied closing his eyes.

They both were silent for a while.

"How did you come up with this?" Johnny asked finally.

"You have a lot of time to think when you swim from one island to another," Amara huffed.

Johnny smiled. "Sleep well."

"You too."

Johnny did his best to fall asleep but couldn't.

"Look, Amara, I want to ask you something," he started unsurely after a while. "You were stopping Sue from putting a force field around Max even though Reed told you Max can't be saved… is that because you didn't want to live without him? Do you… love Max?"

Johnny held his breath to hear the girl's answer, but all he could hear was her even breathing. Turned out Amara did manage to fall asleep.

Johnny huffed barely hearable and closed his eyes too.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Johnny, have you seen… oh boy!" a female voice made Johnny open his eyes. He blinked couple of times and rose on his elbow.

"Sue?"

Near the door he saw his sister, her back at the bed.

"Sue, what's wrong?" Amara woke up too.

"Um, are you guys, um…" Sue was stuttering still not looking at the bed.

"You can turn around, we're not naked," Johnny understood what his too tactful sister was thinking of.

"Oh, good," the woman turned to them "Good morning!"

"Yeah, and how did you get… oh, you just walked through the door," Johnny huffed.

"I know it's not very good but I couldn't find Amara, so…" Susan was speaking swiftly. "Guys, we have a good news, Reed found a cure!"

"What?" both Johnny and Amara exclaimed.

"Yes, we have been in the lab since yesterday because Reed got an idea of what to do… come on, guys! We need to go to the lab!"

Johnny looked at Amara and noticed she was confused.

"Okay, Sue, give us some time, we'll be there," he looked up at his sister.

"Good, hurry up!" with that Sue left without opening the door.

"Amara?"

"Hm?" the girl looked at Johnny. The guy didn't notice much joy in her eyes.

"We need to go, check what Reed got," Johnny reminded.

"Oh, yeah, the cure…" she nodded a little but wasn't getting out of the bed.

"Amara, we need to try, or at least see what Reed suggests."

"Okay, okay, let's go," Amara sighed.

"Guys, I think we got it!" Reed exclaimed excitedly when Amara and Johnny entered the lab. He looked pale, dark circles under his eyes, but beaming with enthusiasm. "Your cure!"

"And how did you manage to find it? Just out of the blue?" Amara crossed her arms. "I don't remember you had any results before."

"It's that thing from the Trench! What happened yesterday reminded me of it!" Reed rushed to one of the monitors. "Look…" he typed something and a picture appeared on the monitor. For Johnny that picture meant nothing but Sue and Amara were both looking at it attentively.

"This substance can alter DNA; that we knew before…" Reed continued. "Be we thought in can only turn things into explosive materials, right? Which means, we should just eliminate explosive powers from that substance – and we get a formula, that can alter DNA!"

Johnny raised both eyebrows. He saw Reed was overwhelmed by something, but couldn't get a word he was saying.

"So you mean it can alter my DNA and turn me into hell knows what?" Amara asked sarcastically. "Nice offer."

"Wait," Reed pressed another buttons and the picture changed. "I made a simple test… I took an apple with a slightly altered DNA structure and inserted a liquid extract of that substance… and I got an apple without any DNA deviations!"

"See?" Sue chimed in, just as excited as her husband, "it _normalized_ the apple's DNA!"

"Do I look like an apple to you?" Amara tilted her head.

"No, of course not" Reed smiled slightly, "but you know what we mean…"

"Yeah, I do," the girl didn't let Reed finish. "Just have one question… how did you eliminate explosive powers from that thing?"

"Well, just disassembled the composition, examined the elements…"

"You mean, just like how you would've done with any other substance?" Amara interrupted the scientist again.

"Well, yes."

"So let me remind you, that the origin of this thing is not clear, but it is definitely not something from the Earth. So you can not be sure any procedure will have the same effect on it as it has on other materials from here. So basically it means that after using that formula I can turn into either an ugly freak or a walking bomb…that's a tough decision, you know," the girl finished ironically.

"But the apple…" Sue tried to interfere.

"I am not an apple," Amara turned to the woman.

"Amara, I understand your fears, but we have checked that formula with all the most up-to-date science tools," Reed stepped closer to the girl.

"Look, Amara, Reed is never wrong!" Johnny decided to chime in.

"Yeah, except for that conclusion he made that the shields on Victor von Doom's space station will protect you from solar storms," Amara huffed.

Reed looked taken aback. Sue couldn't find words as well.

"But everything turned out okay after that!" Johnny exclaimed.

"Duh, especially for Ben and von Doom. Oh, Reed, haven't I told you Johnny believes in you like in God?"

Sue, Reed and Johnny were all looking at Amara. Johnny was searching for other arguments to persuade the girl to use the formula and he knew the other two were doing the same.

Amara was staring back at them, her eyes wandering from one member of the Fantastic Four to another.

Johnny saw Reed opened his mouth to say something when he heard Amara's voice.

"Alright, let's do it."

"What?" Sue and Johnny exclaimed.

"Let's try the formula," Amara nodded.

Johnny let out a sigh of relief.

"Just… I need to take something from my room," the girl added. "I… forgot something."

"Forgot what?" Johnny frowned misunderstanding.

"I'll be right back," Amara swiftly turned to the doors.

"Want me to go with you?" Johnny asked.

"No, no, I'll be fine," she replied on the go, not looking back.

"O-kay," Reed took a deep breath. "Sue, we need to prepare everything…"

"Oh, yeah, right," Susan came up to her husband and they started to discuss something.

Johnny was looking at the doors for a while and then smiled to himself lightly. He sat into one of the revolving chairs, leaned back and closed his eyes.

Suddenly he remembered that day he first saw Amara. Near the NGA building.

_Seems like ages ago, _he smiled again, _funny that the first thing I noticed was her bike._

His thoughts started to wander but then something hit him and he checked the watches. Amara was gone for about 10 minutes already.

_What takes her so long?_

"Guys, I'll go check Amara…" he started standing up when Ben entered the lab.

"Hey guys," he greeted his follow team members. "What're you doing in here so early?"

Ben sat down into one of the chairs near Johnny.

"Never would've thought Amara used to have some social life in the NGA, I thought all she did was training," Ben huffed.

"What d'you mean?" Johnny asked automatically.

"Well, she knew Max, his parents, and now I met her and she told me she wants to visit somebody…"

"What?" Johnny looked at Ben with wide eyes. "What did you say?"

"I met her on my way to the kitchen and she was leaving," the older man was eyeing Johnny attentively. "She told me she'll be back soon… oh, and she wanted to tell you something, Johnny, but didn't say what exactly."

"Huh?"

"well, she said 'tell Johnny that… never mind'… guys, what's going on?" Ben noticed others looks.

"Johnny, maybe she really needed to visit somebody…" Reed started but Johnny didn't listen.

"No, Reed, she just left, she's gone…" Johnny rushed out to the balcony.

"What d'you mean, 'gone'? guys?" Ben was asking but didn't get answers.

The guy was looking down at the street but didn't see what he was looking for.

"Johnny, she couldn't've done this," Johnny heard Sue's voice behind him. but wouldn't listen.

"Flame on!" he yelled and jumped off.

Fire surrounded him and he flew above the nearest street, looking down. He saw people staring at him but couldn't see any bikers. Johnny turned left and was now above another street.

_There she is!_

He finally found a dark-blue bike, speeding down the street. Johnny started to follow it, but the rider turned around and noticed him.

"Amara!" Johnny yelled.

The girl took her left hand off the handlebars and made a swift move.

In that moment Johnny felt a flow of water hitting his body. His fire faded and now it was only the flow that was pushing him. The guy heard people scream when the it busted the windows of some building and the water pushed him inside.

**So? Review pleeeeeeease!**


	20. Chapter 19

**Hello readers! You haven't been very good and didn't review ****much the last chapter but I am like 'what the hell I'll post the LAST chapter anyways at least because I wanna finish this one'. So here it is!**

**Before you read it I wanna say HUGE thanks to the ones who read and reviewed, especially Gollum4077, bluestar71, Nelle07 and of course Cookie4Me! thank you, your reviews were always making my day=)**

Johnny was sitting in the lobby staring absentmindedly before him. The same wall was in front of him every day but if somebody asked Johnny what color it was he wouldn't answer. His mind wasn't focusing on what was happening around; it was only ticking like a timer, counting days. One day after she left… three days… seven days… two weeks… twenty days… thirty-nine… forty-two… fifty-five days since Amara left… though Johnny couldn't say exactly which day of the week it was, he would always know how many days Amara still had.

And now she had only one more day left.

"Johnny?" someone's quiet voice interrupted Johnny's thoughts – or rather absence of those. The guy blinked but didn't move.

"Johnny?" the voice repeated.

Johnny looked up at whoever was standing next to his chair. It was a woman and she looked familiar, though he couldn't tell where exactly he has seen her.

"Do you recognize me?" the woman asked and sat down into a chair next to Johnny's.

The guy shook his head.

"I'm Jeanette O'Connor, uh… Amara's mother," the woman took a deep breath and looked carefully at Johnny.

He didn't respond.

"How're you doing?" Jeanette continued after a while.

Johnny frowned.

"Sorry…" the woman shook her head, "sorry, that wasn't the right question, I shouldn't have…"

"S'okay, I'm okay," Johnny spoke finally, his throat sore.

"You don't look very good," Jeanette was speaking carefully. "Susan told me you haven't been acting the way you usually are lately…"

A small smirk touched Johnny's features. But it was an annoyed one.

"You are now best friends with my sister, aren't you?"

Maybe that wasn't very polite, not that Johnny cared anyways.

"You surely know we have been in touch since… well…"

"You stayed in touch to discuss the way I act?"

"We were trying to find… uh…"

"Amara. Her name is Amara," Johnny looked at the woman.

"Amara," Jeanette repeated after him. "Susan must've told you about that."

The guy didn't respond again. Maybe Sue did, he couldn't remember.

"It's been useless," Jeanette continued, now looking down at the floor. "She has been trained well and not only in combat and navy service."

"But there's one thing I wanted to tell you," the woman spoke again, now not paying attention to Johnny's lack of enthusiasm. "Major Webster Franklin Woods has been dismissed for negligence which led to jeopardy to the civilians."

Johnny looked up at her again.

"What?"

"Recently we received certain documents that prove Woods was responsible for what has happened with Max Hudgens, an investigation has been held, and… well, Woods is dismissed since yesterday," Jeanette bit her lip and continued. "I figured those documents could've been sent by someone close to Woods and that mission… maybe it was Amara", the woman finished not looking at Johnny.

The guy on the contrary was eyeing her attentively.

"When did you receive those documents?"

"About a month ago."

"Yes, that was her."

Johnny felt warmth spreading inside of him. Just that hint on what Amara may have done, that wasn't proved, a tiny reminder of her made Johnny feel better. He smiled.

"Tell me about her, Johnny."

The guy looked at Jeanette confused.

"You mean?"

"Tell me about Amara. What she was like, what she loved, what she hated…"

"Why are you saying '_was'_?" Johnny tensed.

"Johnny, I…" Jeanette looked confused. "I mean that…"

"You already gave up on her?"

"Johnny, I…"

"You already gave up on her?" the guy repeated.

Jeanette exhaled.

"It has been fifty-five days since she left," the woman then started, "and you know it too that according to Mr. Richards' estimates…"

"I know that according to what Reed found out Amara has only one day left now," Johnny interrupted her. he was speaking slowly, pronouncing every word clearly. The guy has already been saying almost the same in his head since this morning so now it didn't hurt that much, "but this day isn't over yet. She still has time."

"Johnny, I know how hard it is for you now…"

"Really?" Johnny made a surprised face. "And what is it then?"

The woman was taken aback.

"Well…"

"Right, you _don't_ know what I feel," Johnny answered for her. "So just shut up and go away."

"But…"

"Go away. Go to Sue, Reed, I don't know why you came here, but you really should leave me right now," the guy shook his head and looked down at the floor again.

Jeanette hesitated for some time but then stood up and walked towards the lab.

The guy closed his eyes and leaned back.

"Johnny?"

He gritted his teeth.

_That woman again._

Johnny opened his eyes and swiftly looked up, thinking of other words that will send Jeanette away.

But it was Amara who was now standing near him.

"Johnny, what are you… why do you look so… so sick? Are you healthy?" Amara sat down near his chair and looked at Johnny's face. Her own face was concerned. "Johnny?"

"Is that really you?" the guy asked slowly after some time.

"Jesus," Amara whispered and cupped his face with her hands.

Johnny could barely move, his eyes not wandering away from Amara's and her eyes were slowly filling with tears.

"Is that all because of me?" she asked.

"Are you back?" Johnny ignored Amara's question.

The girl didn't respond as well and hugged the guy tightly, hiding her face in his neck.

Johnny wrapped his arms around her too. His numbness was finally gone.

"I couldn't," Amara whispered not taking her face away from Johnny's neck.

"Couldn't what?"

The guy heard Amara taking a deep breath. she leaned back and looked at Johnny.

"Remember all that stuff I told you about selfishness, death and all that?"

"Of course," Johnny nodded.

"You do?" Amara frowned in disbelief.

"You doubt?" Johnny frowned too.

"No, no," the girl shook her head. "what I wanted to say is… when I left I kinda chose myself. Chose what is good for me. But I understood lately that you were right when you said people are not necessarily selfish… you are now more important to me than myself," Amara smiled lightly.

Johnny didn't respond. He stroked the girl's hair, still looking down at her.

"So, let's go to the lab?" Amara asked after a while.

Johnny smiled.

"Sure."

Amara stood up and Johnny followed. His legs were heavy.

"Johnny, are you sure you feel okay?" the girl's face became concerned again when she looked at him.

"Now that you're here – yes, I'm okay," Johnny smiled widely at her and grabbed her hand.

"When was the last time you ate?"

"Mmm…"

"Look," Amara stopped. "Promise me that if something goes wrong now…"

"No," Johnny stopped too and looked at the girl. "_Nothing_ will go wrong now and I won't promise you anything!"

"Amara?" a female voice chimed in.

Both Johnny and Amara turned their heads and saw Sue staring at them with wide eyes.

"You are back?"

"Well, yeah," Amara shrugged.

"So… this means you will…" Susan started and trailed off.

"Yes, I will try the cure," the girl replied firmly.

Johnny squeezed her arm comfortingly.

"Okay then, we need to hurry," Susan headed towards the lab.

The first person Johnny saw in the lab was, to his utter surprise, Jeanette.

"What are you doing here?" Amara looked at the woman angrily.

"Alexis?"

"My name is Amara," the girl answered through gritted teeth.

Jeanette wanted to say something but Johnny wouldn't let her.

"Look, we don't have time for it, let's start with that cure," he looked at Reed firmly.

Reed, who was meanwhile speechless as well, nodded. He and Sue started to prepare all they needed while Jeanette was staring at Amara.

Johnny felt the girl was getting tenser so he wasn't leaving her side.

"Okay…" Reed spoke after a while. "We're ready… let's start?"

"So soon?" Amara asked with worry. "I thought…"

"Amara," Johnny looked at her firmly, "everything will be okay."

The girl nodded and started to slowly walking towards the desk where Reed was anticipating. Johnny was eyeing her attentively.

Amara stopped near the desk and bit her lip. Her arms were trembling and she clenched her fists apparently not to let is show.

Reed looked at the girl anticipating her to give him her hand but she was hesitating. Suddenly the girl threw a swift glance at Johnny that made him rush up to her and hug her from behind.

"S'okay, I'm here," the guy whispered.

Amara immediately covered his hands with her and exhaled. Johnny kissed the top of her head and hugged her tighter.

_Who could have thought someone that can fight__ sharks can even be scared._

"Okay," Amara took a deep breath and lifted her right arm to let Reed inject the formula.

Reed hesitated for a second and then pricked the girl's hand with a needle.

Johnny wasn't tearing his eyes off of the syringe as was Amara. When Reed finished Johnny looked at the girl's face.

"So?" he asked carefully not letting go of the girl.

"Nothing," Amara shook her head after a while. "Nothing unusual."

"And how is that supposed to be?" Johnny looked at his brother-in-law.

"Have no idea," Reed shook his head. "Never tried anything like that before."

Johnny gritted his teeth, looking back at Amara. Her face was concerned like she was listening to her own body.

Everyone remained silent, eyeing the girl attentively. Minutes were passing.

"Guys, you may exhale, looks like I'm fine," Amara smiled lightly.

Johnny smiled too and looked at Sue happily when Amara unexpectedly became limp in his arms. He looked at her misunderstanding and saw she was unconscious.

"No, no, no… Reed!" Johnny yelled desperately lifting the girl.

"Jesus…" Reed looked desperate and misunderstanding too. "Nothing was wrong…"

"Crap, don't you have a couch in this fucking lab?" Johnny yelled, rushing towards the biggest desk and placing the girl on it, making all papers fly around. "Amara, d'you hear me? Amara, wake up!" he was shaking the girl.

"Johnny, stop it, let me…" Susan rushed towards them and checked Amara's pulse. "Damn…" she swallowed.

"What?" Johnny looked at his sister. "Sue?"

The woman wasn't answering. She was checking Amara's pulse on her arm now.

"Sue?" Johnny yelled.

Susan ignored him again, reaching for some medicine on one of the shelves.

"Sue, no, don't," Reed stopped her.

"Why? Reed, she doesn't have pulse!..."

"What?" Johnny's eyes widened.

"…we need to do something!" Susan finished.

"We don't know how the formula will combine with anything else!" Reed shook his head.

"Guys, what is going on?" Johnny was close to panic. "She's not breathing!"

"Johnny…" Sue's voice quavered.

"No!" the guy looked at her angrily. "Don't say that!" he bent down to look at the girl's face that was now like a mask. "Amara, come on, wake up! Please!"

"Hello everybody… what's going on here?" Ben's voice appeared from behind. "Matchstick, what are you… Amara?"

Johnny didn't look back at Ben but heard his loud footsteps approaching swiftly.

"Reed, what's with her?" Ben asked the scientist.

Johnny was meanwhile still staring at Amara's face trying to find any sign of life. But there was none.

"Amara, please, wake up," the guy was whispering. "Please, just wake up."

"Johnny, it's useless now… I'm sorry," Reed's voice chimed in.

"No!" the guy shot Reed a glare. "No! she wouldn't do this to me! she told me I'm more important to her than she is! She _can't_ die!"

"Johnny, please…" Sue put her hands on Johnny's shoulders. Her voice was shaking.

"Amara, listen," Johnny ignored his sister, "I know you hear me. please, live. Please," he was whispering swiftly. "just live, no matter how you look, now matter who or what you are, just live… please. Just live," he added barely hearable.

Nothing. No breathing, no pulse… Amara's face was getting paler and paler.

"Oh jeez…" Ben's voice sounded dull.

Johnny could hear Sue's whimpers and Reed's hoarse murmuring from behind. Someone put a hand on his shoulder, according to its weight it could only be Ben.

The guy wasn't reacting to anything.

"Johnny, I'm sorry, but…" Reed started and trailed off.

_No. that can't be it. can't. _

Someone else approached Johnny from behind. It was Jeanette.

The woman bent over Amara and stroked the girl's hair. Johnny noticed a tear streaming down her right cheek.

"Maybe it was too late…" Reed's voice was dull.

Johnny bit his lower lip.

_No. please, no. _

"I am so sorry…" Jeanette whispered.

Johnny's eyes were still on Amara's face when the girl's mouth opened taking in the air. A second later her eyes fluttered open.

"Amara?"

The girl was breathing heavily, the air was coming in and out with a loud noise.

Everyone in the lab was speechless. Johnny was gazing at Amara with wide eyes. meanwhile the girl was trying to sit up but her hands were shaking.

Johnny wrapped his arms around Amara.

"Johnny…" the girl whispered barely hearable.

"Thank God!" it was Jeanette's voice. She was now openly crying.

Johnny helped Amara sit up not letting go of her. When he felt her arms around his torso he hugged her tighter.

"Let her breath, Matchstick!" Ben's overjoyed voice chimed in.

"Jesus…" Reed exhaled.

Ben wrapped his hands around Amara and Johnny.

"Damn, kid, you scared us!"

Johnny heard Sue's sobs mixed with laughter.

"Guys, wait," Amara's voice was shaking. "Wait…"

"Mhm?" Johnny hummed against the girl's neck. He wasn't going to let go of her but to his surprise she started to push him away.

Johnny was watching with surprise how the girl was gazing at her arms and touching her face.

"Amara?"

"Reed, am I healthy?" she looked at Reed with concern.

"What are you talking ab…" Johnny started but then noticed Reed leaving Sue and rushing towards one of the table. "What's going on?"

"Reed, check it," Amara was ignoring the guy.

Reed took a syringe and came up to Amara. Ben stepped back, the girl immediately lifted her arm and Reed took some blood. Then he placed the syringe into some device and lines of letters and numbers appeared on one of the screens.

"Egghead, what are you doing?" Ben looked worried.

"Now we need to wait," the scientist murmured.

"Wait for what?" Johnny asked louder.

"My DNA test," this time Amara answered. Her voice was shaky. "See if I'm… healthy now," she finished.

The guy finally understood what she meant and hugged her again.

"It doesn't matter," he said firmly, "you hear me? it doesn't matter how you look. I love you."

"You never said that," Johnny could feel the girl smiled.

"Well I say it now. I love you," he repeated.

Johnny wasn't surprised nobody was speaking. He didn't care actually. He was hugging Amara. She was hugging him. everyone else could wait.

The guy didn't notice how long it was before Reed's voice chimed in.

"Looks like… everything's fine," he exhaled.

"You sure?" Amara raised her head from Johnny's chest.

"Yes," Reed nodded firmly and then smiled.

Amara placed her head back onto Johnny's chest.

"wait… you mean…" the guy looked at his brother-in-law, his hand on Amara's back. "it's all over? Everything's okay now?"

"Looks like it," Reed nodded and then came up to Sue, who was looking at him with eyes full with tears, and hugged her. "Everything is okay now."

"Can't believe it," Amara murmured.

"Finally!" Ben exclaimed and only now Johnny truly realized what has just happened.

"Finally," Johnny murmured and kissed Amara's neck. "Finally, babe…"

"Hey, don't call me that!"

The guy looked at Amara's face with surprise and saw a familiar mischievous grin on her face. He frowned and smiled unsurely and Amara moved closer and kissed him.

"Hey, stop kissing, that's not fair, Alicia isn't here!" Ben's voice distracted them from each other and noticed Reed and Sue were kissing too.

Johnny huffed and suddenly saw Jeanette watching them with a smile. The woman was so quiet he forgot she's around. Amara looked at Johnny misunderstanding and then noticed Jeanette too. Her smile fell.

"I am… I am really glad it all ended well," the woman spoke looking at Amara. "and… I think I should be going now…"

Johnny expected Sue to ask Jeanette to stay because that's what his sister would normally do, but she remained silent and was just eyeing the scene in expectation. No one else spoke as well.

"Good bye," Jeanette's lips formed a smile but Johnny could tell it was fake.

When the woman already reached the doors Amara suddenly spoke.

"Miss O'Connor…" she stumbled, "I mean, Jeanette…"

The woman turned around looking surprised.

"It doesn't mean anything," Amara continued, "but maybe someday we could talk…" she shrugged, "someday."

"I'd love to," Jeanette smiled and this time it was a real smile.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"So, what are we going to do now?" Sue asked with a smile when the degree of happiness and joy lowered a bit.

"Oh, I know what Hothead wants to do," Ben chimed in, "through some party with couple of hundred people invited and ten times more paparazzi…"

"A party?" Johnny exclaimed. "No way, you don't know me at all! All I wanna do now is sleep!"

"Sleep?" Reed raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Yep, my bed is all I need right now,' the guy nodded.

"really?" Ben made an amazed face. "then you go to sleep and we'll stay here babble with Amara, you won't mind, right? If the bed is all you need…"

Johnny shot him a glare while Amara huffed. The guy then took her hand and motioned his head towards the stairs. The girl smiled and nodded.

"Um, guys?" she suddenly turned towards the rest. "thank you," the girl took a deep breath. "it may sound cheesy but… I love you all," she shrugged, "thank you."

"We love you too, kid," Ben smiled.

"And now go to sleep," Sue was smiling too. "you two need a rest."

Amara remained silent all the way towards Johnny's room and when they already reached the door, she suddenly stopped.

"Can you imagine that?" she looked at Johnny excitedly. "I just told them I love them!"

"And that is hard to believe why?" the guy stopped too.

"I have never said that before…"

"Wait… as in 'never'?" Johnny frowned in disbelief.

"Mhm…"

"Weird."

Amara bit her lower lip and then her look turned serious.

"Remember you asked me if I love Max?" she asked.

"I… hey, you were asleep?"

"No, I wasn't," Amara shook her head. "I just didn't know what to say."

Johnny was looking at the girl not saying a word.

"When I was with… him," Amara spoke, "I didn't know what feelings are. Love included."

"And now you do?" the guy smiled.

"No," Amara smiled too and shook her head, "but I've been doing some thinking and figured it's kinda what I feel to you," she was looking straight into Johnny's eyes, "I love you."

Johnny hugged Amara.

"I love you too."

They were standing like that for a while when the guy spoke again, smiling.

"It's getting better with _saying_ what you feel, huh?"

"Mhm… guess that's why I didn't die. Figured that'd be a shame dying without doing it at least once."

"hey, you don't mean you'll die _now_?" Johnny looked down at the girl, frowning demonstratively.

"Nope," Amara shook her head and placed it back onto the guy's chest.

"Good," Johnny smiled.

**Well, the story's now over, hope you're not disappointed. Sick of asking you people to review, but if you have something to say I'd LOVE to know that=))) thank you again for reading=)**


	21. Hello readers!

Hello readers! I am missing writing this story so I wanted to ask you, would you want to read sort of an epilogue, two or three chapters? Cookie4Me already agreed so if anyone else wants to, review or PM me and I'll post the first chapter, it's already done. Thank you! Miss you all and your reviews=)


	22. Sequel

Hello to everyone who wants to find out what happens to Johnny and Amara next=) the sequel is called "How You Remind Me". Hope you'll like it! And oh, please, REVIEW=)


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